


Harry Potter and the Snow Cave

by TezValeria



Series: Harry Potter Rewrite [1]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Bad Weasley Family (Harry Potter), Blood and Gore, Book 1: Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, But it's friendship for now, Drarry, Drug Use, Good Slytherins, Hazel-Eyed Harry Potter, Human Sacrifice, M/M, Manipulative Albus Dumbledore, Morally Grey Harry Potter, Powerful Harry, Pre-Draco Malfoy/Harry Potter, Red-Haired Harry Potter, Rewrite, Rituals, Runes, Slytherin, Slytherin Harry Potter, Souls, Violence, Winter, Winter Solstice, good weasley twins
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-01-14
Updated: 2019-05-15
Packaged: 2019-10-10 08:55:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 14
Words: 24,023
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17422805
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TezValeria/pseuds/TezValeria
Summary: PLEASE READ THE TAGS!It's been nearly ten years since Voldemort was vanquished and Harry Potter vanished. The wizarding world awaits impatiently for the return of their savior, but perhaps he is no longer exactly what they think he is.Please comment! I'd love to hear feedback! Updates once a week on Sundays or Mondays.If you'd like to cross-post or translate my work, please let me know so I can give you permission and leave a link here!ON HOLD





	1. The Boy Who Vanished

**Author's Note:**

> Not beta read! All mistakes are my own.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi there! This first chapter jumps immediately into the action, and you'll get some inference into where Harry has been the past several years. The truth however, is yet to be revealed.  
> -Tez

Chapter 1: The Boy Who Vanished

 

**_The Boy-Who-Vanished Found?_ **

**The Daily Prophet**

**July 28th, 1991**

**By Rita Skeeter**

**_Ten years ago, on November 3rd, savior of our world, Harry Potter, went missing from the doorstep of his aunt at 4 Privet Drive. For these past ten years, our community has been searching for him, and it seems he may have been found._ **

**_This reporter, while visiting Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry a few days ago, noticed a jubilee among the staff during a meeting. When interviewed, Professor Flitwick had the following to say about the high emotions of the staff._ **

 

**_RS: So, what has caused this incredible excitement?_ **

**_Professor Filius Flitwick: Well, while sending out Hogwarts acceptance letters this morning, Minerva [Professor McGonagall] noticed a letter addressed to one Mr. Harry Potter!_ **

**_RS: What does this mean?_ **

**_FF: At the very least, we know for certain that he is safe and well enough to have displayed enough magical output for Hogwarts to trace his magic._ **

**_RS: Ah, of course. [for more on how Hogwarts traces its students, see “The Trace” on page 6] But I think, Professor, the real question is, where is Harry Potter?_ **

**_Flitwick looked uncomfortable at the question, but nevertheless answered. It is this reporter’s duty to ask the hard questions, after all._ **

**_FF: We are unsure at the moment, as his letter had no location written on it, but surely we will know by the time September rolls around._ **

 

**_So, what does this mean for the life of one Harry Potter? Does he know of his past? Where has he been, really, all this time? This reporter is determined to find out and sure to get you your answers. Stay tuned, readers, for we surely have an intense story on our hands._ **

 

Harry muffled his laughter as he tossed the paper onto his bed. Missing for ten years? He’d been in plain sight, but everyone was just too stupid to notice. Did no one think he’d hide his scar? It was really the only distinctive trait of his, honestly. Dark ginger hair, hazel eyes. He was practically a Weasley (urgh) in appearance. And with the numbers of their horde, no one would question another one walking around. All he had to do was hide the scar in order to walk around in areas with other wizards, and that’s what he had done.

Just as Harry had been about to call a house elf to remove the paper from his room, a Hogwarts owl drifted in through the window. Harry smiled and removed the letter from its claws. He ran a finger over its head feathers and pushed a little bit of compulsion magic into its mind.

“You will not return to Hogwarts. You will forget where you have seen me, and go live in the woods nearby. You will unlearn all of your training by those horrible pet store owners, and be free.” No doubt that meddling Dumbledore would have pulled the memories of his location from the owl’s mind had it returned.

“Pippy!” called Harry, and his personal house elf appeared in front of him. “Dispose of that newspaper, and bring me my letter opener, and a quill and some parchment, please.”

She nodded, “Yes Mister Master Harry,” and popped away, returning promptly with what he requested.

Harry opened his letter carefully, being sure not to deviate from the perfect line he had created in the top of the envelope. He unfolded the pieces of parchment that were arranged neatly inside, skimming them over.

  
  


HOGWARTS SCHOOL  _ of _ WITCHCRAFT  _ and _ WIZARDRY

Headmaster: Albus Dumbledore  _ (Order of Merlin, First Class, Grand Sorc., Chf. Warlock, _

_ Supreme Mugwump, International Confed. of Wizards) _

Dear Mr. Potter,

We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment.

Term begins on 1 September. We await your owl by no later than 31 July.

Yours sincerely,

Minerva McGonagall

Deputy Headmistress

 

The next pages consisted of a material list and some rules, which he disregarded for the time being. Only three days to respond to the letter? And what would happen if the owl had gotten lost, or he had been sick? This school truly required more precautionary measures if they wanted to stay open much longer. If say, Lucius Malfoy’s son hadn’t been able to respond in time and was therefore not registered, Hogwarts would be closed before you could say “Newt Scamander being smothered by a Lethifold.”

Grabbing his quill and parchment, Harry drafted out a letter in response.

 

Dear Professor McGonagall,

I accept your invitation to attend Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, however I do implore that you allow more time to send a return owl, in case of emergencies or delivery complications.

Quite Sincerely,

Harry James Potter

 

“Pippy, do see to it that this is received by Professor McGonagall–  _ directly _ – no later than the thirtieth. I will be going out as I have an appointment, if you could inform my… guardian,” said Harry, marching out of his room and through the hall. “And do prepare a meal for when I get back. Some sort of salad,” he continued, donning his cloak.

“Yes Mister Master Harry, of course,” answered Pippy, and Harry shut the door quite loudly behind him.


	2. The Looking Glass

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey everyone!  
> I’m really glad I was able to get this chapter out on time! Thanks to Georgia and AmberQueen for the comments! As usual, not beta read, all mistakes are my own! Please do let me know if you see any mistakes in my spelling or grammar so I can correct them.

Chapter 2: The Looking Glass

 

Harry strode through the streets of London, searching for the location where he was to have his meeting. Upon finding the crack in the sidewalk that matched the description given by his contact, he tapped on it twice with his booted heel before pressing himself against the brick wall where it met the sidewalk. After a moment, he felt himself melt through the wall, and he blinked, taking in his surroundings. 

He was in a light blue painted room that was clearly charmed to be cool in the mild heat of the summer. Drawing his cloak more tightly around him, Harry took a seat in one of the three wooden chairs that sat in the middle of the room and waited for his contact.

Approximately two and a half minutes later, a man stepped into the room and presented Harry with a looking glass. He took it and gazed into it, feeling his soul be pulled away from his body.

* * *

Several hours later, Harry sat up in the chair he hadn’t remembered leaving. For a fleeting moment, he recalled what had just happened, but it slipped away as soon as he focused on it. Frustrated, he made his back home.

As soon as he walked through the doors, he called “Pippy!” and she appeared. “My meal, if you would,” he said, slouching into one of the chairs in the dining room. Digging into the summer salad that Pippy had placed before him, he tried to recount the earlier events of the day, but seemed unable to remember any of what had happened.

Pausing in his chewing, he announced aloud, “No matter! It shall come to me later, or there is a reasoning for its secrecy. I have no doubt.” To any outsider, it would seem more as if he was reassuring himself than as if he was certain of his words, but he was quite certain. Finishing his salad, he walked out of the dining room and went upstairs to his quarters to take a bath.

Meanwhile, downstairs, a young man of appearance not much older than Harry walked through the parlor, muttering quietly as he flipped through a book that Harry had retrieved for him while he was out. Things were not connecting as they should. If what this book said was true, and if Harry really had been given a looking glass, then it was imperative that the ritual be completed by July 30th.

“Pippy,” called the young man. When she appeared, he looked her directly in the eyes. “Did you put the potion I asked into his salad dressing?” She nodded with vigour, certain that she had.

“Yes, of course, Master M-” she stopped. “Master.” He nodded and sent her on her way, carding his lithe fingers through his dark hair. He walked up to his quarters to wait for Harry to finish bathing. Soon enough, he heard a knocking on his door.

“Come in,” he said, lightly. Harry pushed the door open and walked in, coming to rest at his mentor’s feet. He sat criss cross on the floor and looked up at him. The young man smiled down at him.

“You have come a long way in your studies and training, and I believe it may be time for me to release you to your own will.” Harry lit up at the prospect but masked his emotions the moment they shone on his face. There was no use in being overly optimistic. “Before I can, though, you must be completely truthful with me. Were you given a real looking glass today?”

Harry, finally given permission to speak, answered him. “I believe so. I will bring it to you, sir, if you’ll excuse me.” At the nod of his mentor’s head, he stood and left, coming back a moment later with the beautifully patterned mirror in hand. His mentor took it and examined it for a moment before nodding.

“Very well. In two days time, make sure your schedule is completely clear, do you understand?” Harry bowed his head in response, and his mentor lifted up a hand to his cheek.

“I’m proud of you.”

* * *

 

Harry stood silently in his bedroom, staring out of his window and thinking. He wondered many a thing. Was he ready for free will? His mentor seemed to think so, and he had to trust his mentor. But he himself was unsure. Would it be frightening to have to make his own choices all the time, or would it be freeing? He hoped only that his mentor would stay with him, even as he received free will. 

What was it that he could not remember from meeting his contact? What had happened? He knew it would come to him eventually, but it bothered him to no end. Harry worried that it might interfere with the upcoming ritual, and as much as he feared free will, he feared incurring the wrath of his mentor due to a failed ritual even more.

He stood, determined to prevent failure, and walked across the hall, knocking on his mentor’s door.

“Yes?” came a call from inside, and Harry entered.

He sat down. “Sir, before we complete the ritual, there is something that I must tell you.” At his mentor’s nod, he continued.”

“I do not know where the looking glass took me.”

“Not to worry, Harry. It will all be revealed during the ritual. Fear not, my child, for everything will make sense soon.” Harry nodded but internally felt his fear of the future creep back up on him.  _ Tell him _ , said a voice in the back of his mind. Harry cleared his throat.

“Sir, one more thing. I… I worry that you will leave me if I gain my free will.” 

His mentor looked unsurprised at the comment and simply said again, “Fear not.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter will be longer, and hopefully chapters will get longer as the book continues. Should I try to find real runes for the coming ritual, or would it make more sense to come up with very specific ones just for the use of this story? Remember to comment for faster updates!
> 
> Coming up next time-
> 
> A Report  
> A Ritual  
> A Recollection
> 
> -Tez


	3. The Answers from Elsewhere

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey everyone!   
> Not beta read, all mistakes are my own.  
> Just a warning, this chapter will contain some blood. Nothing super drastic, but blood is present in the later parts of the chapter. I’ll give a warning just beforehand and afterwards so you can skip that paragraph if you’d like to.

Chapter 3: The Answers from Elsewhere

 

_ July 30th, 1991 _

_ It has been decided that as someone who is soon to be of free will, it is necessary that I keep track of myself, my power, and my actions, and how they change over time. In order to maintain clarity of all situations, processes of all acquired abilities will be kept track of as well. _

_ Current magical skills: _

_ Mild compulsion to magical animals- ability to bend will and memories of some smaller magical animals. Acquired after years of chosen solitude in the Gardens. Requires mild trust from the animal.  _

_ Speech to snakes “parseltongue”- ability to converse with and understand snakes. Presumably acquired at birth, or young age, but exact age is uncertain. No requirements for use, but some snakes do not wish to be commanded. _

_ Detection of spells- ability to notice spells on the person. Acquired in training with mentor. Can not yet identify spells, detect spells on others, or dismantle spells. _

_ Detection of wards- ability to “see” wards before entering or exiting them, and can recognise what some do. Acquired in training with mentor. Can not yet identify all types of wards and can not yet identify wards. _

_ Current non magical skills: _

_ Affinity to non magical animals- ability to command trust from non magical animals. Likely acquired as a trait at birth, possibly due to natural scent. Can not create mind connections or familar bonds. _

_ Basic sword skills- ability to block and keep up a fight for about ten minutes. Acquired in training with mentor. Can not yet disarm opponents or successfully win a battle. _

 

_ Tonight my mentor and I will be performing the Free Will Ritual. I think I would consider myself quite nervous, but I am strongly hoping for a positive outcome. I trust him completely, and I know he would not hurt me. I only hope that he will not abandon me just because I will have free will. I do not believe I am ready to live without his guidance. _

_ Tomorrow is my birthday. I will be turning eleven years old. Soon after this, I will officially be meeting the Malfoy family in public as Harry Potter, rather than in private, and I will finally meet their son. I am rather excited for this, I would think. _

_ Signed, _

_ Harry Potter _

 

Harry sighed and closed his journal, drumming his finger on its cover. For the past two days, he had been cleansing his body twice daily with pure water, and consuming only a potion that was a mix of a highly diluted bundium secretion and a draught of peace. It left him highly hungry, but he knew it was for good cause. Tonight, in about an hour, he would have Free Will, and then could eat as much as he liked. As he sat thinking, Pippy popped into his room.

“Master Sir is requesting Mister Master Harry in the basement immediately!” she squeaked, thenn popping away. Harry stood and gulped, walking down the three flights of stairs as slow as his legs would let him. He finally reached the basement and took a deep, shaky breath. Lifting his head, Harry saw his mentor sitting in meditative position in the middle of a chalk prayer circle. As if he sensed his presence (which perhaps he did), his mentor turned his head and stood, beckoning Harry towards him. Harry took a step forward and passed out.

* * *

Harry awoke suddenly, having been revived by his mentor. His eyelids fluttered as he came to awareness and he shivered as he realised that his shirt had been removed.

He stood on the cold floor of the ritual room. The prayer circle had been erased, and two runes had been drawn on the floor in the northern and southern corners. Harry sat down on in the southern corner on the rune Cever, a releasing rune, and held his hands out, palms facing upward.

WARNING: BLOOD

His mentor kneeled in front of him, carving Cever and another rune, Helna, into each of his palms with a small dagger with sapphires in the hilt. Blood pooled in each of Harry’s hands and his breath shuddered as he waited. His mentor then pricked one of his fingers and allowed a drop of blood to fall into Harry’s palms. Harry stared into his hands, watching each drop of his mentor’s blood dissolve. When it did, his mentor dipped a finger into the pool of blood and drew Lexin on Harry’s bare chest. He then sat cross legged in the northern corner of the room on Julkon.

END OF BLOOD WARNING

“By the powers of Learning, and the powers of Bonds, I release my apprentice Harry Potter from all blood bound bonds and allow him Free Will. For his strength in his studies I ask that you grant him Focus. For his safety in his quest I ask that you give him Protection from Mind Magics. I infuse this amulet with my magic, so that he will be Safe.” As his mentor pushed his magic into the amulet, Harry could see a brief flash of a woman’s face before he was thrown into a memory.

* * *

_ Harry gazed into the looking glass and felt his soul get pulled from his body through the surface of the mirror. He could feel himself floating, as if someone had strung him up by his neck. He blinked, or he thought he did, but it felt more like he went blind for a moment. When his sight came back to him, colours began to bleed into his vision. First came the softer tones: light greys, blues, and a few soft peaches. Then, more intense reds, dark greens, and a hint of bright orange. The colours turned into images, and Harry could See.  _

_ He watched as an old man  _ (must be Dumbledore, thought Harry) _ shuffled around a spacious office and disappeared into a small doorway. Harry felt a pull to follow him, so he did. He glided through the doorway and ended up in a closet-sized room. A maroon framing surrounded what appeared to be a parchment on one of the walls. Harry squinted at it, seeing several names. Frantically searching the list, he spotted his name, seemingly at the same moment that Dumbledore did. _

_ Dumbledore drew a small blade that had a blue tint to it from his robes. He traced each letter of Harry’s name with the blade and then pocketed it as Harry turned to him.  _ What are you doing? _ Harry tried to say, but no sound came out. Blinking once more, Harry watched as Dumbledore sent a strong compulsion curse to his name. He screamed as the vision faded and he felt himself returning to his body. _

* * *

Harry awoke with his head in his now former mentor’s lap. He took a gasping breath and began to sat up, but was shushed.

“What did you see, Harry?” the man whispered, pushing Harry back down.

Harry’s eyes widened as he saw his mentors face. He rolled out of the man’s lap and backed away.

“You are cruel,” said Harry, voice laced with venom.

Flicking his wand out, the man stunned and bound Harry before he tried to escape.

“Legilimens,” he whispered, and saw what Harry had seen. A compulsion of hatred to be activated upon Harry’s release into free will… this meant the old goat knew more than the mentor had thought.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Did you guys like how I wrote the ritual? Should I continue consistently with the journal entries or have those rarely? Remember to comment to help me update faster!
> 
> Coming up next time-
> 
> A Falsification  
> A Freedom  
> A Friendship
> 
> -Tez


	4. The Keepers of Secrets

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi everyone!  
> Yet again, not beta read.  
> Thank you so so much to Estella_Light for the comment! Comments really help me develop the story and improve my writing!  
> Also, thank you all sooooo much for 300 hits! :D

Chapter 4: The Keepers of Secrets

 

“Happy birthday, Harry.” Harry smiled at his mentor, who had sat in front of him at the dining room table. The smile turned to a frown almost immediately.

“Sir? Why have you placed me under the Imperius?” asked Harry, insistent upon getting an answer. His mentor nodded.

“I’d figured you’d notice. Do you trust me, Harry?” at the answering nod, he continued, “You shall know very, very soon. I promise.” The truth was, he had no other way to keep Harry from trying to kill him until he could figure out how to remove the compulsion from him. “Now go on, get dressed, we’re meeting with the Malfoy family this afternoon. You’ll be meeting their son, who I’m sure you’ve heard of. I think you will like him.”

Harry smiled again and vanished up the stairs to bathe and get dressed.

Two hours later, Harry and his mentor apparated to the edge of the Malfoy Manor wards. A house elf appeared and popped them into the parlor, where a nervously standing Lucius and Narcissa Malfoy met them. Lucius trembled.

“D-Draco, come greet Harry and take him up to your room,” Narcissa said, voice wavering. Thundering footsteps followed by very soft ones rang out from outside the parlor, and a slightly red-faced Draco peeked through the doorway, waving at Harry.

“Hi,” he said, and Harry moved to follow him back to his room.

As soon as the boys left the room, Lucius and Narcissa each dropped to a knee.

“Now now, none of that. You and I both know I am not there yet. We talk, today, as equals. See that as your way of showing respect if you must, considering my current age.” They both stood, and Narcissa offered the young man a seat as she and Lucius took their own.

Meanwhile, halfway across the Manor, Harry entered Draco’s room. He gaped upon taking in the sight around him. High, dark blue walls with white trim, a beautifully patterned gold ceiling, dark mahogany furniture, and a huge window. Bright white curtains framed the window, which looked down upon the Manor grounds. A bright garden stretched as far as Harry could see in all directions, and a small lake was visible in the distance.

Turning back to Draco, eyes wide, Harry whispered, “It’s incredible,” and Draco beamed, puffing his chest out in pride.

“Just wait until you see the library.”

* * *

 Draco’s mother had told him that Harry was very important, so Draco was very proud that Harry liked the Manor. Draco also liked Harry a lot. He was very smart and seemed quite kind, so much so that Draco secretly wanted him to spend the night over at the Manor, and made a mental note to ask his father is Harry could stay over some night in the future.

After they finally left the library, they had gone to the gardens and talked. Draco found out that it was Harry’s birthday.

“Really?” he had asked. “Well why didn’t you say so earlier?” Harry was too confused about how he would have done so to respond. Draco pulled him back inside and through the halls of the Manor to find him a proper gift.

“Wait here,” he said, leaving Harry on a plush seat in a small sitting room, so Harry did. He could hear Draco run back out of the door and down the hallway. Harry sat quietly, waiting, until five minutes had passed. _Where could he be?_ , thought Harry, sticking his head out of the doorway. Almost immediately, Draco came flying down the hallway with a small box in his hands and crashed right into Harry. Both boys ended up falling onto the floor, laughing.

“Sorry!” giggled Draco, handing the box to Harry. Harry opened up the box and blinked, pulling the short chain from the velvet lining.

“What is it?” asked Harry. Draco held out his hands and Harry handed him the chain. Draco clasped the chain around Harry’s left wrist and it glowed. Harry gasped as it imprinted itself in his skin and then disappeared, leaving behind a silver chain link pattern on his dark skin. Harry looked up from his wrist to Draco with a questioning look in his eye.

Draco eagerly answered the unasked question. “It represents our friendship! I’ll never ever betray you, okay? It’d come off if I did, so you’d know, but I won’t! I promise!” Harry laughed loudly and pulled Draco into a hug.

“It’s perfect, Draco.”

* * *

 Narcissa Malfoy was having a crisis. A sixteen year old boy was discussing business propositions with her. A sixteen year old! Nevertheless, she was required to respect him if he was who he said. If he was _what_ he said, she shouldn’t be respectful. She should be terrified. And to think that _he_ had raised _Harry_. She was required to keep it a secret, and she would, but she secretly wondered if she could talk to the boy and see if he was… healthy? Up to standards? Okay? She was unsure, and He could tell.

* * *

 Harry saw Draco whisper his wish to Lucius as he and his guardian were popped back to the edge of the wards.

They apparated back to their home. “We are you going out tonight to celebrate your birthday, Harry. I’d suggest you’d,” he glanced down at Harry’s ruffled state, “freshen up before we leave.” Harry giggled softly and walked upstairs to change.

Pippy had laid out three outfits for Harry to choose from. The first was a white suit with gold trim and a thick black cloak that would close high around his neck. The second was a deep red short sleeved silk dress shirt and a dark grey vest and trousers with black trim. The third was a simple lavender hooded robe with dark purple accents on the shoulders and down the back. Harry picked up the red dress shirt and clapped. Pippy appeared.

“Yes Mister Master Harry Sir?” she bowed.

“Could you make this the colour of that robe?” he pointed to the third outfit.

“Yes sir.” She snapped and the colour changed. Harry dressed in the lighter shirt and the rest of the outfit, pulling on some dark brown dress shoes and making his way back downstairs.

His mentor nodded his approval, and the two left for the evening to a small Italian restaurant in London. After eating, Harry’s mentor handed Harry a small box, smaller than the one Draco had given him. Harry blanched: he had never received a gift from his mentor before. Opening the box, he saw what appeared to be a pair of earrings.

“These will allow you to hear me and talk to me any time you wish to do so. I will be taking you to get your ears pierced tomorrow morning so that you can use them.”

Harry’s eyes filled with tears and he flung himself at his mentor, who flinched at the unexpected action, but hugged him regardless.

“I have one more thing to tell you. All your life you have not known me by a name, but from today you will. Harry, from now on, please call me Marvolo.” He was certain that Dumbledore knew not of his middle name, and wouldn’t expect him to go by it even if he did. A perfect disguise.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’m so sorry guys, this chapter was really rough. I’d been a bit behind schedule in writing and tried to grind it out instead of delaying chapters. I’ll try to make time to come back and revise it if I can. Please leave me a comment down below if there was something you liked, something you hated, or something else entirely. Everything helps!
> 
> Coming up next time-
> 
> A Blunder  
> A Birthright  
> A Bank
> 
> -Tez


	5. Diagon Alley

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As usual, this chapter isn’t beta read. (Speaking of which, if you’d like to be my beta, please let me know.) This chapter is a bit of filler, but some events will be quite important. Leave a comment to let me know what you think!  
> Also, I’ll be taking a few weeks off after this chapter, but I’ll be back by March! I’m having some major projects due at school.

Chapter 5: Diagon Alley

 

“Summer is almost over, Harry. It’s August 25th.” Marvolo was filing his fingernails while draped across a dark blue leather seat in the parlor. He gave Harry an authoritative glare.

Harry groaned. “I am aware of this, Marvolo. You  _ know _ why I don’t want to go to the alley.” He turned away and began to leave the room.

“Oh, Harry,” Marvolo cooed, stopping Harry in his tracks. “You know you’ll have to face everyone eventually. Today is as good as any other.” Harry wrinkled his nose and stood silently for a moment. He turned back around.

“Why must you always be right?” asked Harry. Marvolo answered with a curt smile. “Fine, I’ll go to the alley, but don’t expect me to be happy about it when I get back. And I insist that my scar be covered. Surely you’d know some way to do that?”

“Of course, dear Harry,” Marvolo answered with a laugh. “Come here.” Harry kneeled before him and Marvolo flicked out his wand. Pressing the tip to the top of Harry’s scar, he began to whisper an incantation. As he traced over each part of it, the scar glowed blue. Finally, it disappeared entirely. Marvolo conjured a mirror and held it up for Harry to see.

“Thank you.” Harry took the mirror and tied up his dark red hair, tucking in stray locks until it looked neat. “I’ll see you for this evening’s meal. Please don’t let Pippy put any papaya in it, she knows I hate that stuff.” He strode to the fireplace and grabbed a pinch of Floo Powder. “Diagon Alley!” he shouted, and was whisked away.

“See you later, Harry,” sighed Marvolo to the empty room.

Harry strode out of the fireplace into the bustling alley. He brushed a bit of soot off of his shoulder and moved away, barely avoiding the next incoming wizard.

“Pardon me, sir,” the man said as he passed. Harry eyed him suspiciously, but nodded. Had he not been recognised? Just because of his missing scar? Surely people knew what his parents looked like. There’s no way that his scar was the only way people knew what he looked like. But then again, it had been ten? years since he’d last been seen by the general public. Perhaps they simply didn’t know what to expect. 

Harry shrugged and walked toward Gringotts. He pushed open one of the huge doors, careful to keep his stoic mask in place as he strode confidently through the bank. He walked up to a teller and raised one eyebrow.

Harry cleared his throat: “I’m here to make a withdrawal.” The teller, a rather stern looking goblin (and surely that is saying something), seemed amused by the… child in front of him.

“Do you have your key?” came his raspy voice, and he smirked. Harry dropped his mask for a moment to leer at the goblin and pulled out a shiny blue key.

“But of course, Mr…?”

The goblin scowled. “Bogrod.” He snatched the key from Harry and marched towards the carts. Harry followed him silently and took his seat. The cart flew off into the darkness. Eventually it stopped, and a torch about a vault flicked on. Bogrod stood and inserted the key into a tiny hole in the door and it swung open, revealing piles upon piles of galleons.

“What’s the total sum, Mr. Bogrod?” asked Harry, “Of all vaults I have access to.” Bogrod pulled out a piece of Harry’s hair and dropped it into a tiny slot, and then ran a nail over a groove on the side of the cart. A slip of paper began to roll out of the groove.

 

**Potter vault:**

**Lily Potter- 50 mil**

**James Potter- 9 bil**

**Total- 9.5 bil**

**Gaunt vault:**

**Total- 10 bil**

**Black vault:**

**Sirius Black- 6 bil**

**Heir- 50 mil**

**Total- 6.5 bil**

**Grand Total: 26 bil galleons OR 130 bil pounds**

 

Harry’s eyes widened for a moment, but his mask instantly slipped back into place.

“Very well,” he said, taking the paper. He stepped into the vault and retrieved one large pile of galleons, scooping the into a cloth bag. “Take me back now.”

Back in the alley, Harry took a moment to survey his surroundings. He couldn’t shake the suspicion that something or someone was watching him, but he refused to give them the upper hand by showing that he knew. If there even was someone there, of course.

Harry pulled a sheet of parchment from his pocket. On it was his supply list. Of course, he had most of the supplies he’d need for school, but Hogwarts specific robes, for example, were not something he’d have had earlier. 

Harry decided that his first stop would be to get a wand. He walked over to  _ Ollivanders (makers of fine wands since 382 BC) _ and pulled the door open. An old man seemed to materialise in front of him.

“Ah, yes,” said Ollivander, “Yes yes, I thought I’d be seeing you soon. Harry Potter.” Harry gave him a sharp look and stepped up to the counter. Two measuring tapes began to swirl around him, but he batted them away.

“Give me an ash wand with unicorn hair core.” Ollivander opened his mouth, but was cut off. “I know me better than you  _ ever _ will,” Harry bit. Ollivander disappeared into the shelves behind him and returned with a box. Inside lay an extremely straight wand. It was light in colour, but clearly had been burned at the base. Harry picked it up and turned it over. No rune had yet been carved into the base. He took the wand in hand and waved it. Behind Ollivander, a box began to turn gold. Harry raised an eyebrow.

“Bring me that one, too. And two holsters, if you would,” he said, pointing to the glowing box. Ollivander brought him the box and the holsters, and Harry strapped one to each arm under his sleeves. He asked for the price for everything and placed the total on the counter in front of him. He did not, as Ollivander noticed, open the second box before leaving.

Harry breathed in the clean air around him, more than glad to get out of the musky wand shop. Next, he thought, it would be a good idea to get fitted for robes. And afterwards, he could get a… not a pet. A friend.

He crossed the alley and walked past a few stores until he reached  _ Madam Malkin’s Robes for All Occasions _ . He stepped inside and a woman smiled at him.

“Hello, young man. Are you here for your Hogwarts robes?” she asked in a kind voice.  _ Do I really look that young when I’m relaxed? _ thought Harry.

“Yes, ma’am. I’d also like to purchase some casual robes,” he responded, careful to keep any snark from entering his voice.

“Step right up here, then,” she said, shuffling to the back to grab a catalogue. Harry stood on the platform and waited. Madam Malkin came back with the catalogue, which floated in the air in front of Harry. She then began to measure his lengths.

“You can flip through that while you wait. I’ll be back with your robes in a few minutes, and then I can deliver your casual robes later.”

Harry scowled. “By owl?” he asked.

“Of course, dear,” she responded. She was behind him and had not seen his face.

“I’ll just come back later today. No need to deliver them.” Harry, in his previous conversation with snakes, had learned that owls did not like carrying things. He had no desire to force them to do such for him. He stepped down from the pedestal and grabbed the catalogue (with perhaps a bit more force than needed) and flicked through the pages. He circled the designs that he liked and gave the catalogue back to Madam Malkin, and left the shop.

All his brooding in the robe store gave Harry an idea. He mentally calculated how many galleons he had left with him. Entering  _ Magical Menagerie _ , he strode directly to the counter at the back of the shop.

“How much for an owl?” he asked the shopkeeper.

“For a large owl, 37 galleons. Smaller ones are 26, and non-mail carrying are 10,” the shopkeeper recited, and Harry gritted his teeth as he made his calculations. To have enough left over to get himself a familiar…  

“How many large and small owls do you have?”

“F-fourty of each in shop r-right now…” the shopkeeper’s voice became confused at Harry’s question. Harry nodded.

“I’ll take them all. And this snake,” he added, pointing to a tiny green one that had been hissing about Harry being “the perfect human heater” and “a speaker too!” The shopkeeper fainted.

An hour later, Harry left the store 2527 galleons poorer. Eighty owls were on their way to the Gaunt Manor.

* * *

 

He felt it again when he was about to enter the fireplace. He ignored it, but turned as he was whisked away and saw bright blue eyes.

He stepped out of the fireplace in his neighborhood and rushed to the edge of the Gaunt wards. As he felt himself pass through, he called out.

“Pippy!” she popped up and immediately popped him into the library, where Marvolo sat reading.

“Harry?”

“I’m being watched.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Before anyone asks, they have an outgoing Floo, but not an incoming Floo. If you all have noticed any inconsistencies, I’d love to know! Leave a comment! ALso, if anyone has ideas for a name for Harry's snake, I'd like to hear them. :)
> 
> Coming up next time-
> 
> A Trip  
> A Trouble  
> A Test
> 
> -Tez


	6. The Journey From Platform Nine and Three-Quarters

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you guys so much for all the kudos in my absence! Special thanks to ViXen_LaDy36 for the kind comment!  
> I’m still looking for a beta, so if anyone would like to work with me or knows someone who’d be willing, please let me know!

Chapter 6: The Journey From Platform Nine and Three-Quarters

 

Harry and Marvolo left the Gaunt Manor at exactly nine o’clock to dine with the Malfoys on September 1st. Marvolo was glamoured, of course. He looked to be a Malfoy himself, sporting a shock of blond hair where black had once been. Not only that, but he’d become taller. Harry snickered mentally. Marvolo wishes he was that tall. They arrived at a small cafe near King’s Cross with… quaint seating and blue wallpaper. Harry, who had a slightly better grasp of Muggle monies, ordered an egg-salmon dish for the both of them, and they sat in wait for the Malfoys to arrive.

Draco was not a stupid child. He had been taught by the most expensive tutors that galleons could buy. He lacked no academic knowledge, but what some didn’t know is that he was no fool of common sense either. As soon as he stepped into the cafe he’d spotted Harry. Next to Harry was a rather Malfoyish-looking man, but Draco knew he wasn’t on the family tree. Because he was no fool, Draco knew quite quickly who it was, but he didn’t understand why he was disguised. Surely Harry’s guardian felt comfortable around them in public. They were Malfoys, after all. He resolved to ask Harry about it later.

“Good morning,” said the man.

“Good morning,” replied Lucius, and Narcissa nodded.

Harry looked up at the voices. “Hi Draco.”

“Hi Harry.” Draco smiled widely. The group enjoyed a small breakfast for the next hour.

At ten forty-eight, the quintet left the cafe and headed to King’s Cross. Marvolo gave Harry a gentle hug.

“If you need anything, you know how to contact me,” he said, tapping on Harry’s ear. Harry smiled and nodded. He hugged Marvolo tightly before jogging to the Malfoys to enter the platform.

After Draco said goodbye to his parents, the two boarded the train and entered the last compartment. Harry removed a small trunk from his pocket. Harry placed it on the luggage rack and tapped it with his wand. It sprung to regular size immediately, much to Draco’s surprise. Harry checked his pocket watch, seeing that there were exactly five minutes until the train was supposed to leave. He settled in next to Draco.

“So, Harry…” began Draco, but the door flew open, interrupting him. A boy with hair of a colour a bit lighter than Harry’s opened the door with excited eyes, but they became disappointed as he looked at the boys inside.

“Hello…” began Harry. _A Weasley_ , he thought.

“My brothers said that Harry Potter’s on the train, and I’ve checked every compartment but he’s not here!” the boy said, pouting. Draco opened his mouth, but closed it again with an audible sound at the glare Harry gave him.

“That’s unfortunate,” said Harry. “Maybe they were misinformed. Maybe he’s not coming this year.” _Or maybe you, like the rest of the world, expected me to look like my father._ The boy groaned loudly.

“They probably lied to me,” he said, stomping away.

When the door slid back shut, Harry turned to Draco.

They locked eyes.

“A Weasley,” they groaned in unison. The Weasley family was known for being extremely loyal followers of Albus Dumbledore during the first war. Harry thought that anyone who follows someone else without question must be stupid. Draco just thought that Weasleys were annoying.

The train lurched forward and began to move. Harry relaxed and sunk further into his seat.

“Seven hours until we get to Hogwarts. Any ideas of what to do?” Harry asked Draco. Draco had completely forgotten his earlier question and pulled a deck of exploding snap from his pocket. The boys began a game.

Several hours later, Draco finally packed up the cards. The trolley lady came around for the second time, and Harry got a cauldron cake for them to share. As they dug into the cake, the door slammed open.

“Have you all seen a toad? A boy named Neville’s lost his,” a bushy haired girl shouted from the door. Draco looked up and down, not seeing a toad. Harry shook his head.

“Oh, all right,” she said. She left the door open and Harry stood to close the door. A boy down the hall shouted as he stuck his head out of the compartment.

“Harry Potter!” Harry’s eyes widened and he shut and locked the compartment. He pulled a ward stone from his pocket with Lexin carved into it and placed it on top of the door frame. Breathing heavily, he sat back down next to Draco.

“Are… you alright, Harry?” he asked, placing a hand on his friend’s shoulder. Harry brought a hand up to his forehead. His hair had become untied and revealed the scar on his forehead.

“Could you tie my hair back up, Draco? So it covers my forehead, please,” asked Harry. Draco nodded and turned so he sat criss-cross with Harry facing him. He took a lock of Harry’s hair and used it to mimic bangs over his forehead, and then braided another lock into it to keep it where it was. He then braided the other side for symmetry, and finally tied it all back into a ponytail at the nape of Harry’s neck.

([Harry's Hair](https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B0nthjeHy5BwcUJheGxGMFV1Q0YxR005VFJmVjdqNVJueUxB/view?usp=sharing))

“How did you learn to do hair like that?” asked Harry. Someone was pounding on their compartment door, but he ignored it. They couldn’t get in unless they dislodged the ward stone, which they couldn’t do.

“From my mother. She said if I marry someone with long hair, I must know how to do it for them,” replied Draco. Harry smiled widely.

“Well whomever you marry will be quite lucky.” Draco flushed quite deeply and fell silent for a few minutes.

Eventually, he remembered what he’d been planning to ask earlier.

“Harry, I’ve been meaning to ask, why was your guardian disguised?” he asked hesitantly. Harry’s eyes widened.

 _Marvolo?_ thought Harry. _Do these work?_

After a moment, Marvolo responded. _Yes Harry?_

 _Draco asked me why you were disguised this morning._ thought Harry. _What should I tell him?_

 _Tell him that there are some people…_ began Marvolo.

“Well, there are some people,” recited Harry, “who would try to take me away from him if they knew who- I mean, if they knew how young he was.” Draco nodded, relieved.

“Oh, that would be terrible,” he said. “He seems real nice.”

Harry nodded. “Why’d you ask?”

Draco flushed again. “Oh, I had thought that maybe he was embarrassed to be seen with the Malfoy family.” Harry chuckled at his words.

Placing his hand on Draco’s shoulder, he reassured him that it was “nonsense, Draco!” and that “no one would ever be embarrassed to be seen with such a noble family as yours.” Draco smiled.

A few minutes later, Harry checked his watch. “It’s 5 o’clock. We should get changed.” They continued to ignore the pounding on their door as they got dressed.

As six o’clock approached, Draco got more and more nervous. Harry asked him what was wrong, and he gestured to the door. Outside, several people stood, trying but unable to see inside. Harry winked at Draco and handed him a ward stone.

The train pulled into the station and Harry took the ward stone off of the top of the door frame and put it in his pocket. Immediately, the door was pulled open, but the people outside looked confused. They stepped inside, and one looked up at Harry’s trunk, which bore his name.

“It says Harry Potter,” he said, stating the obvious, and the others around him nodded.

“Maybe he slipped out earlier?” another said, and Harry pulled Draco through the open door onto the Hogsmeade platform.

“Ward stones. The rune is Lexin,” said Harry, taking it back from Draco. “Protection against whatever is needed at the time.” He pulled an amulet from under his shirt. It was also engraved with Lexin. Draco nodded, impressed.

“I’ll make you an amulet tonight if you’d like.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I feel like I’m going for a different side of Harry and Draco in this story, with Harry being well versed in political and social conduct, and Draco being a bit shallow.  
> Coming up next time-
> 
> A Song  
> A Sorting  
> A Suggestion
> 
> -Tez


	7. The Sorting Hat

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi everyone!  
> MOST OF THE SORTING HAT’S SONG IS THE SAME, BUT THE END IS NOT!!!! IT HOLDS IMPORTANT ADVICE!!!!

Chapter 7: The Sorting Hat

 

“Firs’ years, this way!” came a shout from a huge mammoth looking man as Harry and Draco stepped onto the platform. They followed the group to a row of boats.

“So you’re into runes, huh?” asked Draco as they sat in a boat close to the shore. Harry nodded.

“Yeah. I’ve found them to be extremely interesting,” said Harry. “They have the whole bonus of being useful in rituals. Plus, lots of people don’t know anything about rituals, which makes them a really effective magic.” Draco noticed two people approaching their boat and swung his legs into the empty seat next to him, motioning for Harry to do the same. He did.

“Do you think Marvolo could teach me about rituals too?” he asked as the people moved away.

Harry thought for a moment. “Over break? Sure, I don’t see why not.” The boats pulled away from shore with a jolt, splashing a bit of water onto Draco’s robes. He shrieked and Harry chuckled. Draco glared at him and he stopped, but a faint smile still graced his lips.

The boats rounded a curve, and the great Hogwarts Castle came into view. A resounding gasp came from the first year students at the sight of the majestic castle. Eventually, the boats made their way to a small dock, and a tall, lithe, and stern-looking woman helped the students out.

“Thank you, Professor McGonagall,” the big man said.

“I’ll take them from here, Rubeus,” she said. Harry immediately respected this woman. When the last student was helped out of the boat, she started to lead them all towards to castle.

“The start of term banquet will begin shortly,” she said as she walked, “but before you take your seats in the Great Hall, you will be sorted into your houses.” Draco tugged on Harry’s robe sleeve.

“Yes?” whispered Harry.

“Do you think we’ll be in the same house?” asked Draco. Harry could see the worry on his face in the dim light of the sconces in the hall they had just entered.

“It’s unlikely that we won’t be. Even if we are, I’ll just make them switch me,” reassured Harry. Draco smiled back at him.

Harry tuned back into the professor’s speech when they reached a set of huge doors. “The Sorting Ceremony will take place in a few minutes in front of the rest of the school. I suggest you all smarten yourselves up as much as you can while you are waiting.” A few minutes later, the door swung open to a hall just as tall as the doors, and ten times as wide. The first years gazed up in awe at the night sky above them. Someone nearby passed out, and someone else whispered something about it being bewitched.

The lady put an old, frayed hat on a stool that sat in the front of the hall. The hall fell completely silent, and the brim of the hat opened in the way a mouth would. Its voice (its voice!) was scratchy, and it cleared its throat.

 

_ Oh, you may not think I'm pretty, _

_ But don't judge on what you see, _

_ I'll eat myself if you can find _

_ A smarter hat than me. _

_ You can keep your  _ [ _ bowlers _ ](https://genius.com/Jk-rowling-harry-potter-and-the-philosophers-stone-ch-7-the-sorting-hat-annotated#note-11213073) _ black, _

_ Your top hats sleek and tall, _

_ For I'm the Hogwarts Sorting Hat _

_ And I can cap them all. _

_ There's nothing hidden in your head _

_ The Sorting Hat can't see, _

_ So try me on and I will tell you _

_ Where you ought to be. _

_ You might belong in Gryffindor, _

_ Where dwell the brave at heart, _

_ Their daring, nerve, and chivalry  _

_ Set Gryffindors apart; _

_ You might belong in Hufflepuff, _

_ Where they are just and loyal, _

_ Those patient Hufflepuffs are true  _

_ And unafraid of toil; _

_ Or yet in wise old Ravenclaw, _

_ if you've a ready mind, _

_ Where those of wit and learning, _

_ Will always find their kind; _

_ Or perhaps in Slytherin _

_ You'll make your real friends, _

_ Those cunning folk use any means _

_ To achieve their ends. _

_ In the coming year, you see _

_ You’ll have many a goal _

_ Heed my advice _

_ And don’t think twice _

_ Then you’ll be sure to know: _

_ If you search outside _

_ Not far, but wide _

_ Then you’ll be sure to see _

_ You’ll find exactly what you want _

_ But never what you need. _

_ So keep your eyes about your head _

_ Your hands inside the ride _

_ Let the flow _

_ Just pull you so _

_ You will not have to hide. _

 

Everyone clapped loudly as the hat gave a few bows of some sort to the four tables in the hall. Professor McGonagall stepped forward next to the stool with a roll of parchment that Harry hadn't seen before.

“When I call your name, you will put on the hat and sit on the stool to be sorted,” she said. She unfurled the parchment. “Abbott, Hannah.”

A blond-haired girl stepped forward and sat, pulling the hat onto her head. It fell over her eyes. A moment passed, and then-

“HUFFLEPUFF!” called the hat. Everyone clapped, but the table on the far right stood and cheered. Hannah went to sit with the people at that table. “Bones, Susan” joined her mere moments later. Then, “Boot, Terry” and “Brocklehurst, Mandy” both went to Ravenclaw, second from the left. “Brown, Lavender” was the first Gryffindor (farthest to the left). “Bulstrode, Millicent” became the first Slytherin, which was met with polite applause.

Harry could sense Draco tense next to him at the lack of cheering from any of the tables.“Honestly, the prejudice of some people! If you end up in Slytherin, I’ll cheer extra loud,” Harry whispered to him. Draco flushed and smiled back. By this time, a boy had run off with the hat. The hall broke into laughter as he gave it to “MacDougal, Morag.” Draco became jittery and Harry placed a hand on his arm to steady him. He took a deep breath as McGonagall said “Malfoy, Draco.” 

Draco stepped forward and sat on the stool. He closed his eyes and felt the hat slip over them. A moment passed, and he could feel a tickling sensation, and then “SLYTHERIN!” called the hat. Draco sighed in relief and removed the hat, searching for Harry in the crowd. Their eyes met and Harry clapped and cheered loudly, ignoring the stares of those around him. Draco sat down at the Slytherin table and relaxed.

There were only a few people left until Harry, and he felt his heart start to speed without Draco beside him. He’d assured Draco that they’d be in the same house, but what if they weren’t? He didn’t even hear the people around him getting sorted until suddenly–

“Potter, Harry.” The hall fell silent for a moment before breaking out in whispers. Harry stepped forward.

“ _ That’s _ him?” he heard someone say. “Do you think he dyes his hair?” another voice asked.

Harry strode to the stool and sat. The hat fell over his eyes and he immediately felt a gentle push on his mind.

_ What. Are. You. Doing. _ thought Harry to the Hat.

_ Hello, Harry Potter. Why won’t you let me see your mind? I need to in order to sort you. _ the Hat asked.

Harry sent a quick message to Marvolo, and receiving approval, allowed to hat into his mind.

_ Oh, wow, _ said the Hat.  _ You have a horrid compulsion on your mind, Harry. No, not the Imperius; you already knew about that one, _ the Hat said, answering Harry’s unasked question.  _ Something far worse than the Imperius. I highly suggest you destroy it. Anyways, sorting. Harry, you could well just anywhere, but I’m seeing that you wish to protect young Draco, so it’ll have to be _

“SLYTHERIN!” shouted the hat, and the hall fell into shocked silence, except for the politely clapping Slytherin table. Harry walked over and sat next to Draco, smiling. The sorting continued after a moment, despite the furious whispering around the hall.

Finally, the sorting ended. Albus Dumbledore, who had been sat at the High Table, stood from his gold chair.

“Welcome, welcome to a new year at Hogwarts! Before we begin our banquet, I would like to say a few words. And here they are: Nitwit! Blubber! Oddment! Tweak! Thank you." he said. Harry and Draco looked at each other.

Food began serving itself, and before digging in, Draco got Harry’s attention.

“Harry, this is Blaise Zabini, Daphne Greengrass, Pansy Parkinson, and Theodore ‘Please-Call-Me-Theo’ Nott. Everyone, this is Harry Potter.”

“Hullo,” said Harry, nodding to each of them. They nodded back except for Theo, who glared at Draco.

Coughing softly, Harry cut into the salmon on his plate and began to eat.

“So…” came a loud voice from a few tables away. “Where has famous Harry Potter been for the past ten years?” Harry looked up. The ginger boy from the train was staring a Harry, looking too smug for his own good. “And more importantly, why is he in Slytherin?”

Harry took a deep breath and stared at the boy. He opened his mouth and the boy ( _ Ronald, was it? Ronald Weasley?,  _ thought Harry) squared his shoulders, ready to retort. With a bored look in his eyes, Harry placed a piece of salmon into his open mouth and continued to watch Ronald. A quick glance up to the staff table saw several professors with wands slightly concealed but out, ready to break up a fight. Harry continued to stare at Ronald. Eventually, he got bored and began to make conversation with Daphne and Blaise.

“Ronald, you nitwit! Why would you ask something so invasive?” someone said, and Ronald sat. Not that Harry noticed, or cared. Draco leaned close to Harry.

“Any doubt anyone would have had that you’re a Slytherin is surely gone, Harry,” Draco whispered. “How could you read him so well?” Harry winked at him. He and the group made conversation until the food disappeared and Albus Dumbledore stood once again. The hall fell silent.

"Ahem - just a few more words now that we are all fed and watered. I have a few start-of-term notices to give you.

"First years should note that the forest on the grounds is forbidden to all pupils. And a few of our older students would do well to remember that as well.” Dumbledore looked to the Gryffindor table with those words. Harry tuned him out and sighed loudly.

“And finally, I must tell you that this year, the third-floor corridor on the right-hand side is out of bounds to everyone who does not wish to die a very painful death," Harry heard.

“What?” Harry whisper-shouted, looking confusedly at Draco. He got an equally confused look back.

“And now, before we go to bed, let us sing the school song!" cried Dumbledore. Harry noticed that the other teachers' smiles had become rather fixed. Shooting Draco a look, he cast a simple silencing spell on each of them. Draco glanced back gratefully. 

“ _ Finite incantatem _ ,” whispered Harry as the song ended. 

The Slytherin first years left the hall in a group. As soon as they turned to head to the dungeons, Harry felt a prick on his finger.

“Ouch! Why’d you do that?” He hissed to his tiny snake, Zeli, who was wrapped around his left pointer finger.

“Rat-boy trying to hurt you. Stay in middle of group, so he won’t try.” she hissed.  _ Rat-boy? _ thought Harry. He’d seen Ronald carrying a rat... 

Harry moved to the center of the group of first years, and Zeli said nothing more.

Eventually, the group reached a dark hallway. The prefect said “Merlin” and a portion of the wall slid open, revealing a beautiful room. The first years were led inside.

Their prefect (“Please, call me Gemma.”) told them about their house, dorms, and password. She had each of the first years introduce themselves, and finally, she turned to Harry.

“Harry Potter,” she said, and he prepared himself for the whole ‘famous person’ thing. But it never came.

“You’re a parselmouth,” she said slowly. Harry nodded.

“I’d appreciate it if this stays inside the house,” he said, holding eye contact with Gemma. The corners of her lips rose.

“Of course, Harry. As I said, we Slytherins present a united front to the school. No one outside of Slytherin will hear of this without your permission, not even the professors.” Harry nodded and walked to the first year boys’ dorm, with Draco close behind him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> “Zeli” means cabbage in Czech, which Harry finds funny. 
> 
> Coming up next time-
> 
> A Pause  
> A Poise  
> A Potion
> 
> -Tez


	8. The Potions Master

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, everybody! Stuff is starting to really happen!!!!!!!!!!!! Hope you guys enjoy this chapter!

Chapter 8: The Potions Master

 

Harry sat on his bed with his curtains drawn tight after his second day of school. His bed was on the far right side of the room, with Draco to his left, Theo to Draco’s left, and Blaise to Theo’s left. Currently, he was writing in his journal.

 

_ Tuesday, September 3rd, 1991 _

_ I arrived at Hogwarts two days ago, and by now have completed two full days of classes. On Monday, I had Charms and Herbology with the Puffs and History of Magic with Ravenclaw. We have DADA by ourselves. Today, we had Double Transfigurations with Ravenclaw, Defense, and then Herbology with the Gryffindors. Luckily, for our first project, we’re able to pair up within our house, so Theo and I are working together. _

_ Tomorrow is our first Potions class, and I’m pretty excited. I only hope that the Gryffindors don’t attempt to sabotage me. _

_ Sunday night, I made a less powerful version of the amulet that Marvolo gave me for Draco. He seemed really happy when I gave it to him. I guess he might’ve considered it to be a sign of my true friendship to him. I’m glad I met him before I got to Hogwarts. _

_ I’m further going to keep track of my current abilities. _

 

_ Current magical skills: _

_ Mild compulsion to magical animals _

_ Speech to snakes “parseltongue”- further practice of parselmagic with Zeli. Few sources known. Possible knowledge to find in the Slytherin common room. Can’t yet control amount of power per spell. _

_ Detection of spells _

_ Detection of wards _

_ Hogwarts curriculum- levitation spell (wingardium leviosa), simple wood-to-metal transfiguration, identification of categories of magical plants, vampire identification. _

_ Current non magical skills: _

_ Affinity to non magical animals _

_ Basic sword skills _

 

_ I need to keep up my physical training while I’m here. I’m already behind. Perhaps my new friends could join me? I shall have to ask them. _

_ Signed, _

_ Harry Potter _

 

Harry closed his journal and climbed under his covers, drifting off into a restful sleep.

Harry awoke the next morning at six. As soon as he pulled open his curtains, Draco sat up, awakened by the rustling. They smiled at each other.

“Good morning, Harry. Your hair looks shite.” Harry grinned at him. Draco stood and pulled Harry to sit on Draco’s bed. He settled down behind him and plucked a brush from his bedside table. He pulled it through Harry’s hair gently, pausing occasionally to run his fingers through the soft locks. He smoothed Harry’s hair from front to back, twisting it up into a bun and securing it with a quill.

([Harry's Hair](https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B0nthjeHy5BwRGlld0FUeWZrQnhXTDdOVkQ3QUpGOExQdzhz/view?usp=sharing))

“There you go,” he said. Harry turned and smiled widely at him.

“Thank you,” said Harry, and he ran off to get dressed.

Harry, Draco, Blaise, and Theo arrived at breakfast together and slid in next to Daphne and Pansy.

“Good morning, boys,” said Pansy.

“Good morning,” they chorused. The table provided eggs, sausage, and grits to everyone as they sat. Pansy pushed everything but the grits away, and they vanished. The six made polite conversation as they ate.

“How many points do you think Professor Snape will take from the Gryffindors today?” asked Daphne. The other five stayed silent and Theo coughed quietly.

A shadow fell over Daphne.  “I do hope you’re not implying any favouritism on my part, Ms. Greengrass?” said the professor from behind her. She turned to him with stiff demeanour.

“Of course not, sir,” she replied, head bowed. He nodded and strode off to the High Table. Pansy giggled as he left, and Daphne’s face was burning as she turned back around. Draco opened his mouth.

“Oh shut up,” scowled Daphne.

“I didn’t even–” started Draco. “Sorry,” he finished.

Harry shook his head. “Girls,” he whispered to Blaise.

The 9AM bell chimed and the group of Slytherins scuttled off towards the potions lab. On the way down, a small group of Gryffindors caught up with them. Harry felt a prick on his pointer finger and automatically moved to the center of his group. He heard someone spit a curse word behind him and silently thanked Zeli for the warning. 

The two groups entered the potions classroom and sat in pairs at their potion stations. A draft swept through the room as the door opened again to let the remaining students inside. A few students chatted as they waited, but Harry (and Blaise, whom he was sat next to) were silent.

After a few minutes, a door at the front of the room swung open silently. Professor Snape, who was dressed in long, black robes, stepped through, glaring at all who still spoke. They fell silent.

Class began with the taking of register. When the professor reached Harry’s name, a snort was heard through the classroom. Everyone turned to the source, and the professor raised a thin eyebrow.

Ron Weasley was having a horrible week. First, on the Hogwarts train, Harry Potter pretended to be someone else, basically rejecting Ron’s friendship. He would’ve given Harry another chance, but he ended up being sorted into Slytherin! Ron didn’t want to believe it, and he thought that Harry would march to the headmaster and demand to have his house changed, but instead he smiled and sat down next to Draco Malfoy. Malfoy! 

So, Ron decided that Harry Potter was evil. He took it upon himself to get rid of Potter by whatever means possible. Every time he was about to curse Potter to oblivion, however, his group closed ranks around him. What a horrible week! He could get revenge during potions class, though. A well placed wrong ingredient could explode quite easily. But right now, everyone was staring at him.

“Oh, sorry,” he said, “Bit of a cold.” Snape curled his lip.

“Mister…?” the professor started.

“Weasley,” said Ron, snickers sounding around him.

“Five points from Gryffindor for interrupting.” Ronald looked scandalised. “Go to the infirmary. You’re expected to finish your homework whether you stay there for week or for two minutes.”

“Wha? No, I’m fine, I’m fine!” he pleaded. If he wasn’t here, he couldn’t sabotage Potter!

“I will not have you ruining the art of Potions by contaminating my classroom. Go,” commanded Snape. Ronald left.

“Now, we may begin. You are here to learn the subtle science and exact art of potionmaking,” he said in barely more than a whisper. “As there is little foolish wand-waving here, many of you will hardly believe this is magic. I don’t expect you will really understand the beauty of the softly simmering cauldron with its shimmering fumes, the delicate power of liquids that creep through human veins, bewitching the mind, ensnaring the senses ... I can teach you how to bottle fame, brew glory, even stopper death – if you aren’t as big a bunch of dunderheads as I usually have to teach.” Harry smiled at the undertone of the words.

“Today you will be preparing a simple cure for boils. I expect you to be done by the end of class.” He waved his wand and the directions appeared in neat cursive on the chalkboard. Blaise began to set up the pewter cauldron and Harry went to collect the ingredients.

Severus watched as half of the students moved to collect ingredients and pondered. Though he certainly didn’t approve of the Weasley spawn’s outburst, he did too wonder why Potter was in Slytherin. He watched as Potter strode across the room and he blinked. He’d recognise that poise anywhere. But how? That man was killed. By Potter himself!

Harry handed six snake fangs to Blaise. Blaise crushed them with his pestle to a fine powder while Harry raised the temperature of the pewter cauldron to 250 degrees. Blaise measured four spoonfuls of the powder and added them to cauldron. They counted ten seconds and then reduced the temperature and left the cauldron to brew. Meanwhile, Blaise cleaned off their workspace. After a minute and a half, they turned off the heat and added four horned slugs and two porcupine quills. Harry stirred the cure five times clockwise and it turned a medium blue colour. Harry finished cleaning off the workspace and Blaise ladled out the potion, bringing two bottles up to Professor Snape’s desk.

After everyone finished the potion (with surprisingly few issues), the professor waved his wand again. The homework appeared on the board.

“Your homework is due next class. You are to research the properties of horned slugs and explain why they are used in cures for boils,” he droned, “One foot. Someone tell Mister Weasley.” The Gryffindors (and a few Slytherins) grumbled.

“Mister Potter. You will stay after class.” Harry wondered what he did wrong. The class was dismissed and Blaise shot him a pitiful look.

“What did you want to see me for, sir?” asked Harry. He was wary of the bat-like man, who looked vaguely like Marvolo but differed from him in so many ways.

“As your head of house,” began Professor Snape, “it is my responsibility to take care of you while you are at Hogwarts, and I therefore must know: where have you been since 1981?”

_ Marvolo!!!! What do I do! _ shouted Harry in his head.

_ Hm,  _ responded Marvolo.  _ I know him. Stay indifferent and see how he acts, please. I’d certainly like to know what he thinks. _

_ Okay. _

Harry cleared his throat. “Pardon my rudeness, but that is not your business, sir.”

Severus decided that it was time to change tactics. It was imperative that he become certain of who Potter had been with.

“I know who you’ve been with, Mister Potter.” Harry barely concealed his gasp. “It is up to you to admit it.”

Harry felt his heart rate increase. There’s no way that Professor Snape could know who Marvolo was. After all, he was only a teenager himself, not even as old as the professor. “I don’t know what you think you know, sir, but you know nothing about me.”

Severus could see the nerves running through the boy in front of him. “Mister Potter. I insist that you tell me where you have been or I will have to take you to the Headmaster. I will give you one more chance.” He gripped Harry’s arm. Suddenly, the door burst open.

“Harry!” exclaimed Draco. Harry wrenched himself out of Professor Snape’s grip and scuttled over to Draco. “Uncle Sev, what are you doing?”

Severus got an idea. “Do you know where Mister Potter has been, Draco?”

_ Ah, Severus, as resourceful as ever, _ Harry heard Marvolo say.

“He’s been living with his guardian, Marvolo, who is  _ very _ kind to Harry,” cautioned Draco.  _ Bingo, _ thought Severus.  _ Tom Marvolo Riddle. _

“You’re not going to try to take him away, are you?” asked Draco.

“Of course not, Draco,” assured Severus.

Draco looked at him skeptically. “C’mon, Harry, let’s go,” he said, tugging on Harry’s sleeve. Harry followed him to lunch with a final glance back.

That night, at exactly 11PM, Harry woke Draco and Blaise. They were both confused , but Harry told them he’d explain once they got to their location. The three boys crept to the seventh floor over the course of twenty-seven minutes and Harry paced in front of a tapestry. Blaise and Draco looked at each other confusedly. All of a sudden, a rather small door appeared below the tapestry and Harry pulled it open, revealing a two part room. One half appeared to be a classical potions lab, and the other half was something that neither Draco nor Blaise recognised. Harry sat down on a couch that suddenly appeared.

“Come sit,” he said, patting either side of him. They sat.

“Where are we?” asked Blaise.

“The house elves call in the ‘Come-and-Go Room’ or the ‘Room of Requirement’,” said Harry. “I was talking to one of them,” he checked his pocket watch, “this morning after breakfast about how they managed to get such fresh meat, and they told me about the field they have in this place. It gives you whatever you need.”

Draco looked around, impressed. “You thought this up?” he asked. Harry nodded.

He explained to them what the second part of the room was. It was designed for a ritual that was to take place sometime in October (“For All Saints Eve?” asked Draco. “You’ll see,” said Harry). They were to make a potion that was required for the ritual that night.

“Why us?” asked Blaise. “I’m not the best at potions…”

“But you will keep my secret, and you will be willing to help me without asking too many questions,” said Harry. “I know you are loyal, Blaise, Draco.” He turned to each of them.

Draco smiled widely.

“So, what do we need to do?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’ll detail the process of the ritual potion in the next chapter. Again, jus a reminder, comments really help me improve upon and build the world of my story.
> 
> Coming up next time-
> 
> A Solution  
> A Service  
> A Sight


	9. The Midnight Ritual

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi again! WARNING! THIS CHAPTER CONTAINS GORE, MURDER, AND HUMAN SACRIFICE!  
> Also, thanks so much for 70 kudos and 1000 hits! I never thought I’d come this far :) And special thanks to Carols_Sister for all the fun comments and AlienoreMathilde for the helpful input!

“Baneberry Potion:

Known only as an extremely strong poison, this potion is as blood-red as its namesake. Use extreme caution when making and handling, as even inhaling the fumes can cause extreme damage. A variation of this potion can be used in the Red Ritual, an All Saints Eve ritual in preparation for the WInter Solstice.

Ingredients:

Honeywater

Baneberries

Doxy Eggs

Fairy Wing

Lovage Leaves

Instructions:

Heat a gold cauldron. As soon as it reaches 150 degrees, add the Honeywater and reduce the temperature to 80 degrees. Allow to simmer for ten minutes. Meanwhile, dice the Baneberries into four equal sized pieces, and then use the hilt of a silver potion knife to crush the juice out of the berries. After the ten minutes have been completed, add three measures of the juice to the simmering Honeywater and stir twice clockwise. Increase the temperature to 101 degrees for two minutes. Using a granite mortar and pestle, crush two Doxy Eggs into a paste. Stir a drop of the remaining Baneberry juice into the Doxy Egg paste. When the two minutes have been completed, drop the paste into the cauldron and increase the temperature to 207 degrees. Clip three Fairy Wings along the veins. Add the largest portion of each wing to the cauldron and stir once counterclockwise. Reduce the temperature to 90 degrees. Lastly, add two full-sized (twelve grams) Lovage Leaves to the cauldron and allow to simmer for seven minutes and forty seconds. Stir twice clockwise and immediately move to crystal phials.”  _ -Secrets of the Darkest Art by Owle Bullock _

 

“Woah. Harry. Are you sure about this? We—we could die!” Draco was beginning to freak out. Blaise was, too, but he didn’t do so as visibly. If just inhaling the fumes could seriously incapacitate them, then whatever Harry was planning to do could probably kill everyone involved.

“Don’t worry. I’ve worked on this before. All you have to do is substitute Wiggentree Bark for Doxy Eggs, because Doxy Eggs are the agent for spreading of the Baneberry poison, but Wiggentree Bark will completely contain the poisonous properties to the intended use,” he said, perfectly calm. “Since I’ll be consuming this potion,” at this, even Blaise gasped, “I’ll be doing that step. And we’ll all have extremely safe fume repelling clothing and masks on. I promise, it will be okay.” The masks appeared, and Harry cast a complex, multi-step spell on Blaise, then Draco, then himself. They each put on a mask and stood, walking to the potions lab.

“Are you sure about this, Harry?” asked Blaise. Harry nodded and sent them around to different parts of the lab to collect ingredients. A gold cauldron appeared on the table. He began to heat it. It quickly hit 150 and he added the Honeywater. He reduced the temperature.

“Draco, tell me when the timer ends. Blaise, clip the Fairy Wings. And set them in here,” he said, handing Blaise a smaller pewter cauldron. Harry removed twenty Baneberries from their enclosed container and placed them on the lab surface, slowly cutting and crushing each one. He swept the juice into a copper cauldron and sealed it, banishing the cut berries and cleaning the waste from the work surface.

“Twenty seconds, Harry,” said Draco. Harry unsealed the cauldron and measured three spoonfuls. The timer rang, and Harry poured in the spoonfuls. Blaise used a glass stirring rod to stir the potion twice. He then raised the temperature. Harry immediately set to work. 

Harry measured out the Wiggentree Bark and crushed it in the mortar. He added one drop of the juice and stirred. The two minutes ended and he dropped it into the gold cauldron. Blaise raised the temperature again. Draco poured in the Fairy Wing clippings and Harry stirred the potion once. Together, all three added four grams each of Lovage Leaves to the potion. They let it simmer and Blaise and Draco cleaned the work surface while Harry watched the timer. Finally, he stirred and transferred the potion. 

All three of them let out a great sigh. With the potions stoppered and the fumes banished, they all finally relaxed. Harry disassembled the repulsion spells and their masks vanished. He gave them both a big hug.

“Thank you guys,” he whispered. Draco smiled to Blaise over Harry’s shoulder.

“Of course, Harry,” replied Blaise.

Almost two months had passed, and the night of the ritual was fast approaching. Harry had told Daphne, Pansy, and Theo about what he was to do and swore them to secrecy. To his surprise, all three supported him in his endeavours after hearing the name of his mentor. Harry wondered what they knew that he did not, but disregarded it for the sake of his plans. He could question Marvolo later.

In his own time, he brewed an Emerald Potion (also known as the Drink of Despair) and Amortentia. The first was necessary for Harry to drink, the second, for his victim. The ritual was to take place on All Saints Eve. The night of, Harry had his friends cover for him during the feast, and he headed down to Hogsmeade. Before leaving, he spritzed himself with Amortentia. He wrapped a dark cloak about himself and hobbled into the Hog’s Head. Eyeing around him, he eventually spotted a young male vampire. Harry took off his hood, revealing his face (scar covered, of course), and walked over to the vampire.

“Might I buy you a drink, fine sir?” Harry asked huskily.

“M-me?” the vampire responded. “But I’m a vampire… they’ve kicked me out of school last week when I got turned.”

([Reyes](https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B0nthjeHy5BwRmFsVUhpQlNqVEVORzd2UmMwc0tocDJsQVh3/view?usp=sharing))

Harry smiled. “I’m sure I can handle someone like you. Let me buy you a drink.” He leaned forward and brushed their lips together as he spoke. The vampire’s cheeks grew slightly pink.

“Y-yeah… you can buy me a drink.” he said. Harry removed his robe and slung it over the back of the vampire’s chair. He walked over to the bar, swinging his hips gently. He could feel the vampire’s stare. He ordered a glass of blood whisky and tapped the side, depositing the rest of the Amortentia inside. Swaying back to the table, he leaned over and slid the glass across.

“So, what’s your name?” asked Harry.

“Reyes,” said the boy. He took a sip and locked eyes with Harry. “You can call me Rey.”

“Rey…” purred Harry. “Call me Harry. You wouldn’t like to come home with me by any chance, would you, my dear?” Rey’s mouth was hanging slightly open and his fangs began to protrude.

“I’d love to,” he said, eyes glazed. Harry stood and grabbed his robe, slinging it around his shoulders, and he held a hand out to Rey. Rey stood and took it, and they walked out of the building. Harry pulled Rey to the entrance of Hogwarts.

“Harry… you live here?” asked Rey. Harry nodded.

“Don’t worry, no one will mind you being here, love,” Harry assured. Rey grinned at him and followed. Harry led him quickly through a passage that Marvolo directed him to and they ended up on the seventh floor. Harry began pacing.

“What are you doing?” asked Rey.

“Oh, don’t worry. I’m just preparing our room,” Harry said, and he winked at Rey, swiveling his hips. The door appeared and Harry swung it open, leading Rey inside. As soon as they got in, he hit Rey with a strong stunning spell, tied him up, and then left the room.

Harry rushed downstairs, hiding his robe and the empty potion bottle in his pocket as he ran toward the Great Hall. He stopped a few metres away, rubbed his eyes violently, mussed up his hair, and yawned a few times. He walked through the entryway, yawning, relieved that the feast was still happening. He sat down at the Slytherin table.

“Feeling alright?” asked Pansy.  _ Did you do it? _

Harry nodded and leaned his head on Draco’s shoulder.

“A vampire,” he whispered. Draco gasped quietly and shared the news with the rest of their group.

Dinner ended and the group walked down to the dorms.  The boys entered their dorm, and the girls waited in the common room. Harry picked up the Emerald potion and the modified Baneberry Potion and pocketed them. Then, the whole group moved in front of the fireplace. They made conversation as they waited for the remaining Slytherins to retire to their dorms. Finally, around ten-thirty (according to Harry’s pocket watch), the group was alone. Blaise cast a handful of Floo powder into the fire and stepped in.

“Room of Requirement!” he called, and was swept away. Each member of the group followed, leaving only Theo.

Theodore was uncertain of whether or not following was a good idea. He sat for a few minutes, knowing that the group would continue, whether or not he showed up. He sat in silence for a few moments. If he went, he would be affirming himself as a permanent follower and loyal supporter of Harry. He was sure, too, that Harry and the others knew this. If he didn’t go, he would be outcast by Harry’s group, and further by Slytherin. Theo sighed and stepped into the fireplace.

“Room of Requirement,” he whispered. As he was swept away, he saw Professor Snape staring at him from the edge of the common room.

Theo stumbled out of the fireplace into the Room.

“Professor Snape saw me leave. He didn’t hear me, but he’ll surely question us when we get back,” he said to the crowd that was gathered on the strangely large couch in front of him.

“It is alright.” Harry stood and placed a hand on Theo’s shoulder and tilted his head up with the other hand. “I will take all blame for this venture, as I am the one who asked you to come. Do not worry yourself, Theo.” He led Theo to the couch and Theo sat. Harry stayed standing to address the others.

“I will need your full cooperation tonight. You will see some horrific things. I hope you can understand that they are necessary for the better of all of you, me, and our world,” Harry explained. “Please just do what I say, if you trust me. I promise everything that happens tonight will be okay. Some of it will not be as it seems. You may close your eyes to avoiding watching if you must. Do not interfere if you see me in pain. Do you understand?” he asked. They all nodded. Harry nodded back walked to the other side of the room.

Each of Harry’s housemates sat on the corner of a large five pointed star. Harry dragged the unconscious vampire to the center of the star, untied him, and revived him.

“Harrrrry…” purred Rey, petting Harry’s chest. Harry smiled at him.

“Hello, Rey. I have something I’d like you to do. Could you pour this into my mouth? You can kiss me as soon as you’re done~” Harry crooned. Reyes nodded and took the bottle from Harry hand and dumped it into Harry’s mouth. Harry immediately began convulsing, but Reyes didn’t notice, as he was kissing Harry wildly.

Daphne burst into quiet tears as she watched the pain run through Harry. Draco breathed heavily through his nose, struggling not to step in. Blaise and Pansy turned away, but Theo stared directly at the scene in front of him.

Meanwhile, Harry was having a horrible sort of dream. He’d lost his sense of feeling soon after the pain overtook him. Right now, he was seeing Marvolo dying, Draco dying, and himself either orchestrating their deaths or being unable to stop them. Tears streamed down Harry’s face. He continued to kiss Rey back to keep up the illusion. Finally, after eight long minutes, the pain and the vision stopped. Harry gulped audibly and gently pushed Rey away.

“Could you get me some water, love?” His voice was scratchy. Rey fetched him a glass of water and he took it gratefully, gulping it down quickly. Harry pecked Rey’s lips and stood up shakily. Rey stayed sitting down, but watched as Harry walked around. Harry picked up one crystal vial of Modified Baneberry Potion, a small dagger, and his wand. He walked back to the star’s center. The amortentia was beginning to wear off.

“Rey…” Harry sat in front of him and plunged the bronze dagger through Rey’s chest. Rey coughed, eyes wide. Harry pulled him close.

“I’m so sorry,” he whispered. The light faded from Reyes’s eyes. He fell to the floor, dead.

Blaise was highly confused until he saw Harry kiss the corpse. He knew immediately what was going on. To make a Horcrux, one had to kiss the corpse between committing the murder and casting the binding spell in order to tie the souls together and prevent ascension to the afterlife. Blaise only hoped that it was just necessary of the ritual, and not a specific goal of Harry’s. He looked around, and it appeared that none of the others really knew what was going on.

Harry directed the group to raise their wands and chant the spells he had directed them to before. He opened the bottle of Modified Baneberry Potion. Three drops of the red liquid fell onto his tongue and he closed his mouth, feeling the burn spread from the tip of his tongue to the back of his throat. Harry passed out. 

When he awoke, he sat up. None of his friends had moved, but they all appeared highly nervous. Harry checked his pocket watch. 11:51, it read. He had nine minutes to complete the ritual. Harry performed the final binding spell, which, due to the ritual, bound the horcrux to something indestructible: his subconscious. Then Harry turned to his friends, and looked each of them in the eyes. He stopped at Blaise.

“You told them?” he asked. Blaise nodded, refusing to break eye contact. Harry smiled warmly and turned to the others.

“I did not make one because of a craving for immortality. It was simply necessary for the ritual.” Harry stepped out of the star.

Draco immediately rushed to Harry and hugged him. “I don’t know about the others, but I support you in everything you do.” The others, now crowded behind him, nodded. The group flooed back to the common room, Harry going a few minutes before.

Back in the common room, Severus sat waiting for the six missing students to return. No Slytherin would be caught out so late after curfew, and any first year that did such would be punished harshly. Potter stepped gracefully out of the Floo and made eye contact.

“Mister.. Potter. We will wait for the rest of your posse.”

Harry’s glare hardened. “We will not. I am the one who is to blame for their disappearance, and I’m sure you’ll understand once I explain.” Severus noticed, suddenly, the bloody dagger in Potter’s hand and the mostly full bottle in his hand.  _ Baneberry Potion _ .

“What have you done?” Two people stumbled out of the Floo and scuttled off to their dorm.

Harry dropped his mental shields and Severus burst into his mind, straight to his subconscious. He was thrown out violently as soon as he saw what he had to.

Severus jolted back into the couch. “You…” he whispered.

“I am capable of far worse,  _ Severus _ . You’d do well not to underestimate me or oppose me,” murmured Harry. “You will absolutely not,” Harry’s eyes flashed red and Severus gasped, “tell Dumbledore of what you know of me.” Three boys tumbled out of the fire and Harry gripped the shoulders of two, steering them to their dorm and walking with them, leaving their professor to ponder contacting his old master.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> PHEW! That was intense! Over 2.5K words of me having an emotional breakdown. Did anyone else get attached to Rey real quick? Maybe I could bring him back as a ghost of some kind in future books? Let me know if you like that idea, or if you have another one.
> 
> Coming up next time-
> 
> An Ally  
> An Assessment  
> An Answer
> 
> -Tez


	10. Exams

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi everybody! We get quite a bit of a point of view that we haven’t seen much so far in this chapter. Enjoy!

Harry and Pansy were studying in the library. All of their teachers had set “quarter exams” for mid November, and they were spending lots of time in the library, Pansy and Harry more so than the others. They were working on Charms and Transfigurations, as Harry had been struggling with Charms theory, just as Pansy was with Transfigurations. Harry was taking notes from his textbook when, suddenly, a loud popping noise was heard. He and Pansy looked up. There was a tiny house elf on the table in front of them.

“Hello…” said Pansy. The house elf bowed.

“Master Draco Malfoy has asked that I bring Master Harry and Mistress Pansy to the kitchens. Please follow me.” Pansy and Harry looked at each other, confused, but packed up their things. The elf led them them out of the library and downstairs to the kitchen corridor. The door to the kitchens opened from the inside, and Harry and Pansy stepped inside. Draco, Theo, Blaise, and Daphne were inside sitting on small stools around a wooden table. Daphne saw them first.

“Hi guys!” Everyone else looked up. “We decided that you were studying too much, so we had the elves prepare a pre-exams dinner feast for us.”

“Is it that late?” asked Pansy. Blaise nodded slowly. “Oh,” said Pansy.

They sat around the table with their friends, where a spread lay. In the center of the table was a magnificent beef roast. It was covered in a sweet smelling glaze. Small bowls spiraled around it, filled with roasted vegetables, potato croquettes, fresh bread rolls, and various dips. A bowl of creamy soup and another bowl of garden salad (to which Pansy smiled gratefully) was next to each of their plates, along with a thin-stemmed glass of white wine.

Blaise picked up his glass and lifted it. “To knowledge,” he said.

Theo, who sat next to him, raised his glass. “To loyalty, he continued.

Daphne was next. “To power.”

“To protection,” said Draco.

Pansy looked around and smiled before lifting her glass. “To friendship.”

Harry sat silently and observed his group, whom he had gotten close to in the past three months. “To love,” he almost whispered. His five friends looked at him with bare hearts.

“Harry…” whispered Daphne. Harry smiled at her and tipped his glass to his lips. She smiled back. The group each took a sip and began serving themselves food.

After having completed dinner (which was quickly cleaned off by the elves), dessert appeared: a spread of chocolates and swirled meringue cookies. Their plates were replaced with fancy doilies, and the white wine was replaced by champagne. Daphne picked up a coconutty chocolate and stood, flicking her wand to play some music. She held a hand out to Theo, and he pulled her into a spin-filled dance. Pansy smiled shyly at Blaise and he offered a dance to her, leaving Harry and Draco at the table. Harry raised his glass to Draco and they clinked them together.

“To you,” murmured Harry, smiling. They took a sip each, but Draco continued, almost downing his. It filled back up immediately and he took another sip.

“Woah, Draco! Relax a bit,” he said, moving into Pansy’s empty seat and placing a hand on Draco’s arm. “Is everything alright?” he asked. Draco leaned his head on Harry’s shoulder.

“You’ve been spending so much time studying with Pansy lately, and I’ve missed you,” confessed Draco.

“I see you every day,” replied Harry, confused. Draco shook his head.

“Not alone,” he insisted. “We haven’t spent time together, just the two of us, since summer.” He frowned. Harry chuckled softly.

“Have I been making poor wittle Dwaco feel lonely?”

“Hey!” shouted Draco, smacking Harry’s shoulder. The fast music around them faded into a slower, quieter dance. Harry shrugged Draco off of his shoulder and stood.

“Dance with me?” he asked. Draco flushed and stood, taking the outstretched hand. Harry pulled him close.

“Talk to me,” whispered Harry. Tears pricked at the corners of Draco’s eyes.

“I’m sorry for being so selfish,” Draco whimpered, voice breaking.

“It’s okay to be selfish. You were my first friend, I should be spending more time with you,” reassured Harry. They swayed slowly around the room, completely forgetting about the others, who watched them in silence.

“Harry?”

“Yeah?”

“Thank you.”

* * *

 

Exams started on November fifteenth with Herbology. For the past quarter, everyone had been assigned to choose a magical plant and raise it, along with researching its uses and qualities. Today, they were to be assessed on their success of growth and their knowledge. Harry and Theo had worked together to grow a puffapod bush and had to harvest the seeds and store them in order to pass the exam.

Together, he and Theo approached the bush, Harry singing softly and Theo placing bubblewrap below the biggest pod. Theo cast a severing charm on the the bush, and the pod fell onto the bubblewrap. Together, they scooped water into a jar. A slow severing charm was cast through the top quarter of the pod. They each levitated three seeds into the jar.

“And what can these seeds be used for?” asked Professor Sprout.

“The seeds can be used in revitalising potions,” said Theo.

“If allowed to bloom, the flower can sweeten bitter potions and teas,” said Harry.

Professor Sprout smiled. “Good, boys. Well done. Could you deliver those to Professor Snape please?”

Harry nodded. They were off to their potions exam next, after all. They waited for the rest of their year to complete their exams, and then walked down to the potions lab with the rest of the first years.

“I do not want… to grade this,” drawled Professor Snape, “And you will therefore be doing a simple exam. I will ask you a question, and you will answer.

“If you get it wrong, I will ask you another, and so on until you get one correct. Your score will depend on how many questions it took for you to get one correct. You will come in alphabetical order by last name to the front where a silencing shield has been erected. You will NOT ask anyone who completed their exam about the questions. Begin,” he said, sitting down.

Harry and his group waited for their names to be called. Most of the Gryffindors spent a pretty long time with the professor except for one girl who had puffy hair.

Once it was Harry’s turn, he stepped into the spelled area. The professor scrutinised him, appearing to be deciding what to ask him, but Harry knew he wanted to talk about Marvolo. Eventually, though, he opened his mouth.

“What is the activator in Veritaserum?” This question was one of very high level, and Harry wouldn’t be expected to know it… but he did.

“Jobberknoll feathers,” answered Harry, holding his poise. Professor Snape raised an eyebrow and scowled.

“That is correct,” he said, with stilted tone. Harry left.

“Aww, poor precious Potter took such a long time! Is he stupider than we thought?” said Ronald Weasley. A few Gryffindors snickered.

“If you had really been paying attention, Weasley, you would have seen that the professor only asked me one question. Unlike the many which he will surely ask you,” retorted Harry.

Ronald ended up spending a class record of twenty minutes with the professor. Eighteen questions, Harry counted.

* * *

 

It had taken everything Severus had to avoid interrogating Potter about “Marvolo” during the exam.

He had an important decision to make. If the Dark Lord was alive, then he’d know about Severus’s double crossing during the first war. He’d either have to stay completely loyal to Albus, or he’d have to spy for his Lord and not for Albus.

 _The fact that you’re calling him YOUR Lord means you’ve already decided_ , said a voice in his conscious. Well in that case, he’d have to contact his Lord in order to prove his loyalty. But how? He stood and paced around his office. Where would his Lord be if he was alive? And if he had raised Potter? Potter was clearly well-fed and uninjured when he reached Hogwarts, so wherever they he was, it must have been equipped to raise a young child.

Severus knew of only three places where the Dark Lord had lived. The Riddle Manor in Little Hangleton, the Malfoy Manor in Wiltshire, and the Gaunt Shack, also in Little Hangleton. Severus could immediately rule out Malfoy Manor, as Draco would’ve said that Harry was living with him instead of Marvolo. That left the two homes in Little Hangleton.

Severus pulled a heavy cloak around himself and sent a patronus to Dumbledore, letting him know that he was off to a potioneering convention. If Albus was to check, he’d see that there are many a potioneering convention happening on this night, as this week was the Annual International Potions Week. Severus walked down to the gates of Hogwarts and apparated to one of the halls in which a convention was happening. Instead of entering the hall, he turned on his heel and vapourised in the style of a true Death Eater, leaving no trace of his magic.

He flew over the land, staying low to the ground until he reached Little Hangleton Graveyard, where he landed behind a large gravestone. He pulled his hood over his head and walked towards the Gaunt Shack, where a great deal of dark residue was present. Severus stepped into the wards, nearly collapsing as the pleasure of dark magic coursed through his veins after such long time. He barely managed to rip himself away from the wards as he realised that he would have sensed such strong magic on Harry if he’d been living here for ten years.

Severus closed his eyes for a moment after he left the wards. During the first war, he’d been addicted to Dark Poisons; not lethal ones, but ones that mimicked muggle drugs. By now, any pure Dark Magic felt well enough like the potions that he’d had to avoid it completely. He took a deep breath and walked through the forest to the Riddle Manor. He stepped through the thin wards, this time feeling no dark magic around. He walked purposefully forward and knocked on the front door. It swung open on the first knock.

Severus stepped inside cautiously.

“Hello?” he asked. Only a quiet wind from the open door answered him.

He spent the next hour searching through the entire building, but he found nothing, not even any magical residue besides the thin wards. He was exhausted, and about to apparate back to Hogwarts’s gates, but realised just in time that he had traces of dark magic on his face and hands. He apparated instead to Malfoy Manor, where he was escorted to the sitting room by a house elf.

A few minutes later, Lucius stepped into the room, followed by a nervous Narcissa.

“Severus?” asked Lucius. “Is everything alright?” Severus was collapsed across a sofa with a hand pressed to his forehead. Narcissa sat down next to him.

“I need you to remove a magical trace from my skin,” said Severus. Narcissa started to perform the charms to remove the magic, and she gasped.

“This is extremely temptful magic, Severus. What have you been doing?” she asked, her worry growing.

Severus paused. “Searching.”

Both of the Malfoy continued to stare at him, waiting for elaboration. Severus suddenly realised that though Draco didn’t know who Marvolo really was, the other Malfoys would. He couldn’t let them know that he knew the connection between their Lord and Potter.

“For my Lord,” he continued. Lucius and Narcissa shared a look.

“Why?” asked Lucius in a whisper. Severus took a deep breath.

“I need to redeem my past misdoing of following Albus Dumbledore,” he said. “I have realised his manipulations and I intend to rid of his existence or his influence, with my Lord’s permission.” Lucius nodded and clapped a hand on Severus’s shoulder.

“And you did not find him?” asked Lucius. Severus shook his head.

“I know where his is. I will send him your message, and I am sure he will contact you, Severus,” assured Lucius. Narcissa finished removing the traces of dark magic and she clasped one of Severus’s hands.

“Worry not, Severus,” she said. Severus nodded and took his leave.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to everyone who has commented so far! You guys are really helping me improve upon my writing and revising! <3
> 
> Coming up next time-
> 
> A Match  
> A Master  
> A Mentor
> 
> -Tez


	11. Quidditch

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hoo boy he stuuuupid stupid.  
> (Thanks for the kudos!)

Chapter 11: Quidditch

 

It was December 7th, a Saturday. A Slytherin-Gryffindor quidditch match was planned for 2pm that day, and a light snow was falling. Harry, Draco, and Daphne were sitting at the Slytherin table waiting for the rest of their group to wake up, when the Owl Post arrived. Harry scowled. Suddenly, a house elf appeared with two packages.

“Pippy!” exclaimed Harry.

“Hello, Mister Master Harry, sir. I has packages for you and Master Draco.”

“Thanks, Pippy,” said Draco. Daphne stared at the triad, baffled. The packages each had a letter attached to them. Harry opened his, and Pippy popped away.

 

_ Dear Harry, _

_ Your guardian gave me permission to use your House Elf in order to send you a package after Draco told me about what your snake friends have told you about owls. Your package contains a collection of shrunken pots of stew that I’ve made in the past week. I hope to see you over the Winter Hols. We’d be honoured to have you over. I’d love to hear about what you’ve been up to since summer. _

_ Sincere wishes, _

_ Lady Narcissa Malfoy, née Black _

 

Harry smiled and rolled up the parchment, tucking it into his pocket. Draco did the same.

“Your mother is wonderful, Draco,” sighed Harry. Draco nodded. Daphne continued to stare perplexedly. Across  the room, a certain Weasley looked on with jealousy.

At 1:45, much of the school went down to the Quidditch Pitch to find seats. Harry and his group sat together in the front row of the Slytherin stands. At 1:57, the two teams walked onto the pitch, and Daphne commented on the tension between the team captains. Harry was about to agree, and then she continued.

“Such strong sexual tension,” she said, and Pansy nodded. Harry, Blaise, and Theo simultaneously raised an eyebrow.

“Really?” asked Draco. The other boys turned to him with skeptical looks. “What? They’re girls, they’d know.”

With a piercing whistle, the game began. The usual Gryffindor commentator was apparently sick, so a Ravenclaw was subbing.

“Hello, everyone, welcome to this snowy game of Quidditch between the strongest rivals in the school! My name is Marcus Belby and I’ll be your commentator today. Our game starts and Gryffindor Johnson gets the quaffle, making a quick pass to Spinnet. Spinnet swerves to avoid a Bludger from Slytherin’s Bole and drops the quaffle, but in a quick move by Bell, the ball is recovered. She shoots, and Bletchley makes a wrong move. 10-0, Gryffindor!” A cheer rose from the Gryffindor stands. The game continued, with the score fluctuating wildly from with both Gryffindor and Slytherin trading goals. This game was clearly going to come down to the snitch. Gryffindor had the young, slim Cormac McLaggen, while Slytherin had the more experienced Terence Higgs. Harry spotted the snitch before either of the seekers did and pointed it out to Draco, unfortunately distracting him from something that would’ve been good to know.

The game ended with Terence catching the snitch, having seen Harry pointing and slowly meandering down to avoid notifying McLaggen.

“Brilliant tactic!” commented Marcus Belby.

The Slytherin team held a small celebration in their common room after the game, for once allowing people of other houses to join (only because Higgs was in a relationship with a Gryffindor… he refused to say who). Draco, Harry, and Theo were talking over a few glasses of what Draco called “Fireworks” (a mix of chocolate liqueur and fairy water) when Harry saw a flash of ginger. Wary, he looked up, and noticed Higgs sandwiched between the two Gryffindor beaters in a corner. He whistled lowly and Draco and Theo turned to see what he was looking at.

“Wow. Didn’t expect that,” whispered Draco. Theo whispered “get a room” to his wand, and a blue light sprung from it and to Terence’s ear. He flushed brightly and took a Weasley in each hand, dragging them up to his dorm.

“Good on him, I guess,” said Harry. He relaxed and their conversation moved on. He was wrong to relax.

“Hey, Malfoy,” called a familiar voice. The trio looked up to see Ronald Weasley, who was holding a rolled up parchment. “Missing something?” It was the letter from Narcissa. Draco blinked back frantic tears.

“I read your mummy’s letter.” At this declaration, the room fell silent. In Slytherin, it was considered the highest offense to read others’ private messages. Whatever Draco decided to do to Ronald would be considered perfectly acceptable. He stayed silent, though.

“Would you like me to read it aloud?” asked Ronald, mockingly. The Slytherins stayed silent in anticipation. Eventually, Harry couldn't take it anymore. He stepped forward.

“Give me the scroll now, Weasley, and your offense will be forgotten,” said Harry, holding out his hand. Ronald laughed loudly.

“You think I’ll give it to you that easy? You’re an idiot, Potter,” mocked Ronald.

“I’m giving you a chance, Weasley. Hand it over, or anything I do will be your fault for all intents and purposes.” Ronald rolled his eyes and opened the scroll, opening his mouth to begin reading. Suddenly, the door from Professor Snape’s office to the common room opened and the professor stepped inside.

“What… is going on here…” drawled the professor.

“Potter is threatening me,” Ronald was quick to say.

“Whatever are you doing that for?” Professor Snape asked, turning to Harry. Harry smiled.

“Weasley stole and read Narcissa’s letter to Draco and is threatening to read it aloud,” drawled Harry. The professor’s lip curled and he turned sharply to Ronald.

“We have been courteous and welcomed outsiders into our common room. The others, and you, are therefore responsible for following the rules of our house. Taking and reading the private information of others is the highest possible offense in Slytherin house, and punishment is to be determined by the victim. Take care to check the rules before you enter other’s territory next time, Mr. Weasley.” He stepped back into his office. “Mister Potter, I would like to see you tomorrow afternoon. Alone.” The door swung shut, and Ronald was left to the mercy of Draco, whom everyone turned to.

“Harry,” he said, “You may do whatever you must to teach Ronald his lesson.” Eyes widened around the room. Harry was known, if not from past experience then from appearance, to be merciless in necessary situations. Ronald finally seemed to perceive the growing threat and began to back away, but the Slytherins closed ranks in a circle around him and Harry.

“I gave you many chances. You will now face the consequences of not cooperating.” Harry flicked out his primary wand and pressed it to Ronald’s forehead drawing his worst fear to the front and projecting it to the room.

“You will feel as though you are covered in spiders until you feel true remorse for your actions and apologise publicly to Draco or until the school year ends, whichever comes first,” whispered Harry, who had moved his wand to the Weasley boy’s temple. “You won’t be able to tell anyone about what you are seeing and feeling.” Ronald immediately shouted and ran out of the room, leaving the scroll behind. Harry picked it up and handed it to Draco. After a moment of silence, the celebration went back to how it had been before.

Harry pulled Draco into his arms. “Are you alright?” he asked softly. Draco nodded.

“Thank you, Harry.”

“Anything for you.”

* * *

 

Severus sat in his office, nursing a brandy. It had been ten years since the last time someone had committed High Slytherin Treason. He had heard Draco giving Potter permission to carry out the punishment, but hadn’t heard what the punishment was, and he was curious. Potter was creative. He must’ve come up with something good.

He was still pondering what had been done when his fireplace flashed green and Lucius’s face came through.

“He will meet with you tomorrow morning at eight. Come through to our Manor; he will meet you here. Bring no one and nothing,” said Lucius. Severus nodded.

“Your son was the victim of High Slytherin Treason tonight,” mentioned Severus. Lucius’s jaw clenched.

“Who would dare?” he asked.

“The youngest Weasley boy. Potter carried out the punishment under Draco’s instructions. I’m unsure of what he did,” said Severus, answering Lucius’s unasked question.

“Speaking of Weasleys,” he continued, “apparently the twin brothers have something going on with Terence Higgs.”

“Is that so? Curious,” said Lucius. Their conversation devolved into “respectable gossip.”

* * *

 

The next morning at 7:00, Severus awoke and dressed in his finest robes. He tied his hair back with a blood red ribbon to match the lining on his black robes. At 7:45, he stepped into Malfoy Manor. He was directed into the library by Lucius to wait. At 8:00, he was called to the office in the East Wing. He walked swiftly. When he reached the room, he knocked once.

“Come in,” said a smooth voice. Severus opened the door, head bowed. He kneeled at his Lord’s feet and kissed them hem of his robes.

“My Lord…”

“Stand, Severus, and speak,” said the man. Severus stood and looked up, shocked to see a young, handsome face looking back at him.

“My Lord…”  _ How? _ He wanted to ask.

“ _ Speak _ , Severus.”

“As soon as I learned of your continued life, my Lord, I searched for you. I have wished to tell you that I intend to follow you, as I have become aware of Albus Dumbledore’s manipulations. I can spy for you, my Lord,” he plead.

“How can I trust that you won’t double cross me as you have in the past?” asked Marvolo. Severus was prepared for this question.

“I will tell the Order that I have been pushed to the lowest level of your ranks due to my betrayal and therefore am unable to transfer important information. I will further allow you to place any sort of spells you wish on me to prevent or monitor any information transferred. My Lord,” he said, tone becoming frantic. Marvolo stepped forward and pressed and hand to Severus’s cheek, tilting his head up to stare him in the eyes. Severus whimpered as he felt the Dark Magic pulse from Marvolo’s fingertips to under his skin and into his nerves, setting every end in his body alight.

“You will take care of my boy, you will bond with him and train him. In return, I will provide with that which you need,” whispered Marvolo, pushing more Dark Magic into his fingertips. Severus groaned quietly.

“Yesss, my Lord.”

* * *

 

Harry was eating lunch with Theo when he remembered that he was supposed to meet with Professor Snape in five minutes. He stood and rushed downstairs to the professor’s office. He knocked.

“Come in,” said the professor, so Harry did.

He opened the door. “You wanted to see me, sir?”

“Harry… Can I call you Harry?” Harry nodded. “I met with your mentor this morning.”

_ Marvolo? _

_ Just listen, Harry. _

“He asked me to continue your studies into Dark Magics while you’re at Hogwarts. He also wishes for us to bond. His words, not mine,” assured the Professor. “I have therefore decided that we will have tea every Sunday in order to get to know each other and get some work done, starting next week.

“Very well, sir,” said Harry.

“When we’re alone, you’re to call me Severus.”

“Very well,  _ Severus _ .”

“I’m doing my best, Harry. Come see me again on the 15th,” said Severus. Harry nodded and left.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hmmmmm we might be getting something between Marvolo and Severus at some point we’ll see.
> 
> Coming up next time-
> 
> A Ritual  
> A Realisation  
> A Riddle
> 
> -Tez


	12. The Solstice

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi guys! Longest chapter so far! Lots of big stuff, so sit back and relax for this one.

Harry awoke early on Saturday, December 21st. He fed his snake and walked into the bathroom to get ready for the day. He turned the heat all the way up in the shower, nearly scalding his skin, but calming him for the day that lay ahead. It was the Solstice today, the first day of break, and Harry and his friends would be going home on Sunday evening. But first, tonight, they had to finish the red ritual.

He stepped out of the shower and wrapped a towel around his waist. He wand-dried his hair, brushing it sleek and shiny. He tied silver beads into his hair and pinned the strands to the sides of his head. He dried off his body and walked back into the dorm room. He opened his trunk and pulled out a pitch black robe. He put it on, along with a silver circlet that was identical to Zeli in all but size and colour. He left the dorm.

Harry found himself on the seventh floor in front of a door. He opened it. Inside was a sunny field of flowers. Harry walked through the flowers until he reached a large, flat rock. He sat down and checked his pocket watch. 8:40, it read. The sun was rising in the distance, and the sky lit up bright red. Harry felt a hand on his shoulder. He turned. Daphne stood behind him, watching the sunrise. She squeezed his shoulder and he turned back around.

“Beautiful, isn’t it?” she said. Harry sighed quietly.

“It is,” he responded. She sat down next to him.

“Harry, you’ve told us everything about this ritual except for why you have to do it,” she said. “What is it for? We’ve all seen you worrying, and it’s worrying us.” Harry’s eyes were downcast as he replied.

“Marvolo,” he started. Daphne tensed. “Marvolo has asked me to look at all of the universes to see which ones his plans went wrong in in order to avoid making those mistakes. That’s what the Red Ritual is for. I’m scared of what I might see,” said Harry. Daphne was confused.

“Why can’t  _ he _ do it?” she asked.

“Magic herself designed this ritual so that you can’t see events that you’ll directly influence,” explained Harry.  “This was back before communication was common, so she didn’t think to plug up the loophole of someone else doing it for you and telling you what they saw.” A warm breeze swept by them, carrying hundreds of yellow flower petals with it. Several landed around them. Daphne picked one up.

“Yellow azalea. Good fortune in your future,” she mused.

“You know—”

“The language of the flowers. My old tutor taught it to me when I was little,” she finished. “Now come. We have a day to get through. All of us, Harry.”

He smiled and stood, following her out of the room.

* * *

 

It was 9pm. Dinner had just ended, and Harry and crew stole off to the Room of Requirement to complete the ritual. The room was different this time. The walls and floor were an identical black, but in the middle of the floor lay a shallow pool of thick, red liquid. Harry had to stay completely submerged in the liquid until the end of the ritual, and the five were there to make sure he did. The liquid itself was extremely dangerous to anyone who hadn’t been the subject of the first half of the ritual, so they had to use a spell to keep him submerged. Unfortunately, as a bunch of eleven year olds, it required all of their power to perform the spell.

Harry stood next to the shallow pool. His friends watched as he disrobed, realising that him showing them his completely bare skin was a sign of trust like no other. He removed Zeli from his wrist, and she slithered over to Draco, curling around his right ear. Finally, he removed the snake circlet. He left the silver beads in his hair and stepped into the liquid. He sat down and drew a rune in the air with a finger. 

“Belfrin,” he explained as the rune glowed blue. “Expose.”

He lay down and closed his eyes. Around him, the others shakily incanted the spell.

Harry was swept into a void. He looked around, but could see nothing. Out of nowhere, a glowing being appeared. It was a woman, floating a few feet in front of Harry. She had long, flowing hair and was wearing a robe that extended far past where Harry assumed her feet to be.

“Mother Magic?” he asked. No sound came from his mouth.

“It is I.” Harry felt, more than heard, her voice. It surrounded him like a thick flannel blanket.

“What do you want to see, my son?”

“Show me the many fates of my Marvolo, Mother Magic.”

Harry saw nothing, but suddenly began to gain some memories, of sorts. He could see the many fates of Marvolo. Death, at the hands of Harry. Death, at the hands of Draco. Death, at his own hands. Harry focused in on one universe where Marvolo had become demented before Harry had killed him. 

A mirror… a stone… a diary… a basilisk… Voldemort… Harry was unable to truly experience emotions in this void, but if he could, he’d be crying.

A traitor… a tournament… a resurrection… a disguise… Horcruxes… destruction… death… a battle…

“You have what you need,” said Mother Magic.

Harry was pulled back into his body, gasping. Blaise pulled Harry from the liquid and Theo draped a blanket over him. Draco pulled him into his arms. Harry sat silently, trembling.

“I need to talk to Marvolo,” he rasped.

“Harry, you can’t—” began Pansy.

“LET ME TALK TO HIM!” shouted Harry. Draco pulled Harry closer.

“Harry, I need you to listen to me. You can talk to him tomorrow, but right now it is late and you need nourishment. You can talk to us in the meantime. We will stay with you,” reasoned Draco. Harry continued to tremble, but nodded once, too tired to be stubborn. A house elf popped in with a tray of nutritious snacks and a glass of orange juice. Draco encouraged Harry to eat little bites of the snacks and take sips of juice in between. He managed to get a full bag of trail mix and half a glass of juice into Harry before he fell asleep.

“What do you think he saw?” asked Theo.

“He’ll tell us in the morning,” assured Daphne. Draco stayed silent.

* * *

 

Harry woke up the next morning in his dorm room, but not his bed. Where was he? He looked around and blinked. He was surrounded by boys. To his left as Draco, whom he was laying on. To the right was Theo, and Blaise was draped over all of them. Harry smiled.

He suddenly grew frantic as he remembered what he had seen. He had to talk to Marvolo. And not over the earring connection, either. But how? It was then that Harry remembered it was Sunday. Harry could meet with Severus, and they together could go to talk to Marvolo… to Tom. To Voldemort. No, Marvolo was still the best name.

Harry tried to dislodge himself from under Blaise to get up, but was suddenly yanked back down by a pair of arms.

“Stay,” whispered Theo, “They’ll want you to talk, and it’ll be easier if we’re all here.” Harry nodded and tried to fall back asleep.

Eventually, they all woke up. Harry made to get dressed, but was stopped. Daphne and Pansy entered the room after knocking, and they all sat on the bed in front of Harry.

“There are… a lot of timelines in my mind,” began Harry. “There’s several where I’ve killed Marvolo. One where you did, Draco. But in all of them, I’ve been fighting against him, rather than for him. Countless worlds where he’s killed me, my friends…” He looked at his friends.

“They’ve never been you, before, though. It’s always been that puffy-haired Gryffindor girl and Ronald Weasley. Anyways, Marvolo is a mass murderer,” said Harry. His friends all looked away.

“You knew?” he asked. One by one, they nodded. “It’s okay. I understand why you wouldn’t tell me.” Harry gulped loudly and took a deep breath.

“Guys just please… please promise me that you won’t get killed in a stupid way,” he pleaded. Daphne put a hand on Harry’s knee.

“Of course, Harry. You’ll have to deal with us for a looong time,” she said, smiling. Harry smiled back. They walked down to the common room in their pajamas and were served a large breakfast by the house elves. Harry hadn’t realised how much of his energy he’d lost until he smelled the food in front of him.

* * *

 

Later that day, Harry rapped sharply on Severus’s door.

“Come in,” said Severus, unaware of the angry preteen behind the door. Harry pushed the door wide open and Severus barely cast a cushioning spell in time to stop it from slamming.

“Yes?” he asked.

“I need to talk with Marvolo. Now.”

“I don’t have the security to—”

“For the sake of my mother, you will bring me outside the wards,” insisted Harry.

“How do you…?” asked Severus.

“I’ll explain once we get there,” gritted out Harry. Severus nodded and turned on his Floo, bringing himself and Harry to a public Floo portal near Hogsmeade. Harry directed Severus to apparate them to Little Hangleton. Severus was confused, having searched here but having found no sign of the Dark Lord. When they arrived, Harry started walking away from the town towards where Severus knew the Gaunt shack to be. All of a sudden, a multi-floored home appeared, replacing the shack.

“Welcome,” said Harry, “to the Gaunt Manor.” He swung the front door open and strode inside.

“Pippy.” She appeared. “Bring Marvolo to the library. We will meet you there.” She nodded and disappeared. Harry and Severus walked to the library, and Severus admired the decor of the house. It was unexpectedly bright and cheerful. They reached the library and Harry plopped down into a well-worn purple chair. He gestured to a cream one, where Severus took a seat. A silent moment passed, and the door burst open.

“Harry, what are you doing here? You’re supposed to be at Hogwarts. How did the ritual go?” asked Marvolo who had stepped into the room. “Why are you here?” he asked, turning to Severus.

“Harry insisted that I bring him here, my Lord,” said Severus, head bowed.

“So it’s true then? You’re ‘Lord Voldemort’?” accused Harry. “That’s a stupid name,” he whispered. Marvolo sighed loudly. He sat down in a maroon chair across from Harry.

“I knew you would find out eventually. And yes, it’s a silly name. I came up with it as a child,” said Marvolo.

“Tell me everything,” said Harry. Marvolo nodded.

“I have been at war with much of the wizarding world since childhood, but I turned it into a real war after I left Hogwarts in 1945. In 1981, I was told a prophecy and, in a rage, began to fulfill it by trying to avoid it. There was a child involved in the prophecy.”

“Me,” said Harry, and Marvolo nodded.

“I went to your house and I killed both of your parents after they prevented me from killing you. I tried to kill you, but the killing curse backfired. It left you with your scar, and it left me dead. Lucius felt my death and apparated to where it happened. He spotted you in the crib and brought you home with him. I am here now because of my horcrux. Lucius was able to bring me to life completely by siphoning his magic into the horcrux, and gave you to me to raise. Though my older self was deranged and impulsive, I still retain the humanity of myself when I created this horcrux. I am therefore much more rational. In raising you, I was able to improve upon that part of myself.

“I understand if you feel betrayed, Harry. I only hope that you’ll consider my feelings.”

Harry stood. The air in the room felt heavy.

“Marvolo,” he started, “I know more about you than you do. I have seen every single world in which you have existed. (The Red Ritual, thought Severus, amazed.) I know what you have done, and I know what you would have been willing to do. Right now, though, you are not your old self. You’re an unexpected variable, in the eyes of Mother Magic. For me, though, you are a lifeline. And for this I insist you come to me before making any important decisions. I can’t lose you.” Harry walked over to Marvolo and sat in his lap. Marvolo pulled him into a hug. 

Severus continued to sit. His mind was moving at a thousand miles per hour. Harry had performed the Red Ritual, which meant that he had seen every storyline of his Lord. A terrible burden for an innocent child.

* * *

 

A few hours later, around 7 in the evening, Harry was off with his friends to stay at Malfoy Manor for the break. Severus was sitting alone in his quarters when he felt a gentle pull from his arm. He looked down and saw his dark mark glowing a faint red. He closed his eyes. The pull didn’t feel painful, as it had during the war twelve years previous. Instead, it was simply a calm pulse. It was clearly intended for Severus to go, though. He focused on where it was coming from and felt himself get whisked away.

He landed outside the door that was across from the library in the Gaunt Manor. He knocked.

“Come in~” came a sultry voice. Severus pushed open the door and knelt at his Lord’s feet. He kissed the hem of his robes.

“You have done well, Severus. I will reward you now. Stand, and come here.” Severus stood and walked over. Marvolo smiled warmly and handed him a small bottle. Severus opened the bottle and wafted a bit towards him.

“Fairy Blood… how did you even manage to get this?” asked Severus. Fairy Blood was, of course a colloquial name for nettle-based Dark Potion, due to them sharing their golden colour. Fairy Blood was the rarest type of Dark Potion, and Severus was flabbergasted that his Lord had managed to get some.

“I have my ways, and I can get more. And you, Severus, can get your hands on it from me as soon as you retrieve a certain cloak that Harry has told me of from Dumbledore’s office. You won’t be able to see it or summon it, but if you find it, I will reward you greatly,” persuaded Marvolo. Severus, nodded, slightly dazed.

“I’ve charmed the bottle the contain all trace if dark magic, so you can take that with you,” continued Marvolo. “Run along now, Severus. Go get my cloak.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In this story, Voldemort only created the diary horcrux. Harry is not a horcrux. Also, I don’t like canon Snape. I will never be convinced to like canon Snape. However, I wanted to write him a little differently. You may remember a few things from chapter 4: firstly, Narcissa not knowing about the diary horcrux or who Marvolo was. This is explained by Lucius being the one to retrieve Harry and resurrect Marvolo. Narcisa was not there. Secondly, Marvolo not wanting Narcissa and Lucius to bow to him. He knows that they are loyal, but is unsure with Severus, and therefore forces him to bow.  
> I'll be on break for a few weeks to catch up with revisions and starting the sequel. Thanks for understanding!
> 
> Coming up next time-
> 
> A Home  
> A Holiday  
> A Hunt
> 
> -Tez


	13. Holiday Quest

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A nice time.

Chapter 13: Holiday Quest

 

Blaise woke up in a huge, soft bed, surrounded by limbs. For a moment he panicked, but then he remembered that he was in Draco’s bed at Draco’s house with Draco and Harry and Theo. He smiled.

Blaise grew up without any siblings and with several stepfathers. He never knew his father, so his closest relationship was to his mother. When he turned seven, he met Theo and Draco, and the year after, he met Pansy and Daphne. They became his associates, but he didn’t really feel like they were friends until he met Harry.

Harry had truly drawn their group together with his crazy ideas and dangerous escapades. It seemed like nothing a Slytherin would ever do, but Harry was clearly all about breaking norms. The night that they found out about Marvolo and Harry’s horcrux, Blaise wrote to his mother. He asked her about Harry, about “friends” versus “allies”, about what it really meant to be a Slytherin.

_ My dearest Blaise _ , she had written,  _ there is nothing more important in life than friends. Though your Harry will prove a valuable ally in your future, he will prove a much more valuable friend. I want nothing more for you than your happiness, Blaise, but I know that you put a high value on success. I have Seen all there is to about Harry Potter, and he will bring you both. _

Blaise stretched his arms above his head and yawned. He looked around. Though he’d been to the Manor many a time, he’d never been inside Draco’s bedroom. The room was not huge, but was clean and appeared spacicious. Blaise admired the trim as he stood up. He walked over to the window and sat down in a dark wooden chair. Light snow was falling outside, painting the sky a pale grey and coating the plants with frost. 

Blaise pressed his fingertips to the window, which leached away the bit of heat from his hands. He pulled his wand from his dressing gown pocket and cast a warming charm on his hands. He checked the clock on Draco’s wall and walked back to the bed. He climbed onto the bed and shook Theo awake.

“Hwhaaa???” said Theo.

“It’s the twenty-third. Will you come with me to shop? Pleeeeease?” asked Blaise. Theo rolled his eyes and nodded. They got up and dressed, leaving Draco and Harry asleep. They asked Mrs. Malfoy to bring them to Diagon Alley. She apparated the two of them to the entrance and they entered. Blaise immediately set off for Slug & Jiggers Apothecary, but Theo grabbed his arm and pulled him towards a small stall that was set up near a clothing store.

* * *

 

A lithe witch in a shimmery dress that seemed like liquid flowing over her skin stood behind the wooden stall. In front of her was a display of metals and gems. Theo seemed to know exactly what he was doing. He took a card and circled a green gem and a golden metal and circled two numbers. He grabbed another card and circled a black metal and two numbers. Lastly, he circled a blue gem and a number. He handed the card to the witch, promising to be back in a hour, and she began to craft something. Blaise was mesmerised, but Theo was pulling him to the Apothecary, so he turned back around.

It was December 24th. The Malfoys and their guests had just finished a plentiful feast and a delicious dessert and were currently lounging in the West Wing sitting room. All of the children (bar Draco) had just put their presents under the tree. Draco was giggling as they did.

“What is it?” asked Daphne, slightly annoyed.

“You’ll see, you’ll see,” said Draco. At 11:59, Narcissa cast a sleeping spell on the six children and moved them onto the couch, where she tucked a warm blanket around them.

The next morning, all six simultaneously woke up to see all of the presents missing from under the tree. A single note was sitting in place of them.

_ “Good morning, dears. As you must have noticed by now, there’s something missing from this Christmas morning. To get it back, go to the kitchens,” _ read Draco aloud.

“C’mon, follow me!” They raced off down to the kitchens, where they found a bunch of house elves preparing breakfast. One house elf walked up to Draco and handed him a note.

“ _ Good job! I suppose you all were following Draco, though. Let’s try something else. No helping this time, Draco! _ Aw, darn.  _ Go to the broom shed. _ ” Draco stepped to the back of the group. They ran outside and walked around the grounds for a few minutes before Pansy spotted a shed in the distance.

“Yes!” shouted Draco, and they raced off. They reached the shed and found a note telling them to get on the brooms and search for the next note. For an hour, they flew around the grounds. Theo was ready to give up when he noticed a slightly darker patch against the snowy background of the ground. He swooped down, and the others followed him.

“ _ Wow! _ ” he read, “ _ Whoever found this has a great eye, congratulations! Go to the room where a bird could find endless entertainment. _ ” The group looked at each other, confused. They walked inside and systematically checked each room. Eventually, Harry stumbled into the library.

“Guys!” he shouted, and everyone came running. A huge display of presents sat in the center of the library. The all sat in front of the presents, waiting for Draco’s parents to arrive.

“How would a bird find entertainment here?” asked Pansy.

“Ravenclaw,” said Blaise, nonchalant. Everyone turned to him, amazed.

“I was almost put there,” he said.

Mr. and Mrs. Malfoy walked into the library, smiling.

“You guys were quick! We’ll have the house elves serve breakfast here. Each of you can bring you presents to each other, one at a time,” said Mrs. Malfoy. “You first, Draco.” 

As Draco stood to grab the gifts, house elves appeared in front of each person (and Draco’s empty spot), placing a plate with a puffy pastry filled with apples and pears and coated with powdered sugar in front of them. Draco placed a present next to each person’s plate, and they opened them one by one.

Blaise received a shimmering notebook, Daphne a peacock quill (“I needed a new one, thank you!”), his mother a beautiful shawl, Pansy a letter opener, Theo a tiny owl, and his father a stained wooden letter box. Harry opened his gift, and saw that it was a small charm off a snake to add to his pendant. He unclasped it and slid it on. He touched the cold metal, which quickly heated up against his skin.

Blaise was next up. He gave Draco a box of rare potions ingredients, Daphne a stuffed penguin, Pansy a subscription to a writer’s magazine, Theo a recipe book for noodles, and Harry a book on unusual runes.

Next was Daphne. She gave a book on spell invention to Draco, a pair of black earmuffs to Blaise (“Your ears turn bright red in winter, Blaise”), a dictation quill to Pansy, a painting of a waterfall to Theo, and a new cauldron to Harry.

By the time Pansy started giving her gifts, everyone had started to eat their pastry. She gave the group a kitten for them to keep in the Slytherin dorms.

Theo had spent a lot of time deciding on presents for his friends. He wanted to show them each exactly what they meant to him. He gave each person their gift and waited until they opened it to move on. To Draco, he gave a brotherhood charm. If Draco were to use it, it would notify Theo of his location immediately. He gave Blaise a vial of pure kindness in liquid form. For Daphne, a Forever Flower which would bloom until Daphne died. 

When he reached Pansy, his hands began to tremble. He handed her a small box and she opened it. When she looked inside, she gasped.

“For real?” she asked. Theo nodded. Pansy pulled him into a tight hug. When she released him, she put the ring on her pinky finger. It was promise ring. Theo had promised to marry her when they became of age. Few people ever devoted themselves so blatantly at such a young age, and Narcissa cooed.

Theo then turned to Harry. “Harry, when this year began, I didn’t know what to think about you. On All Saints Eve, I made a decision. And this is why, Harry, I give you this.” He handed Harry a small box. Harry opened it. Inside was a leadership ring, meant to be given by a devoted follower. Harry eyes filled with compassion as he looked up at Theo. Theo also slipped a tiny black ring onto Zeli.

“You’re a leader, too.”

Finally, it was Harry’s turn. He handed out various books to everyone except Draco. To Draco, he gave a vial.

“What is this?” asked Draco.

“It’s… it’s my blood.” answered Harry. Everyone in the room gasped.

“H-Harry, I can’t take this. You of all people should know how valuable blood is,” gasped out Draco.

“Draco,” Harry started, “I trust you completely. With my life, with my mind, with my blood. Please accept my offering to you.” Draco, shocked into silence, nodded.

A few presents remained underneath the tree, and the children got up to retrieve them. Harry picked up three packages. One was very light, but the other two were not. Harry opened the largest one first. Inside was a cloak and a letter. Harry opened the letter.

_ Dear Mister Potter, _

_ A certain someone asked me to retrieve this from one Albus Dumbledore’s office and send it to you, as it belongs rightfully in your possession. _

Draco, who was reading over Harry’s shoulder, noticed a distinct lack of bad reaction at the mention of Dumbledore.

_ I took it upon myself to complete this task, and so now you receive your cloak. Use it wisely. _

_ Sincerely, _

_ Severus Snape _

“Professor Snape sent you a gift? What is it?” asked Pansy. Harry stood up and drew the cloak around him, confused. Everyone except him gasped.

“Is it real?” whispered Blaise.

“Is what real?”

“Harry, you’re invisible!” shouted Draco. Harry blanched.

“Wow…”

After the shock wore off, he opened the second package. Inside was a pair of leather bands.

_ Wrap these around your wand holster(s). If you lose a wand, it’ll channel the wand’s magic through your hands. Don’t use them in school. _

_ With love, _

_ Marvolo _

Harry smiled. He attached the straps to his arms and opened the last package. A piece of parchment fell out.

“Here is your guide to the truth,” Harry read off of the top of a piece of parchment. On it was what appeared to be a map, but there was no scale and no words or symbols to give any ideas of where it may be. The only distinguishable feature on the map was a cave, which was glowing brightly. Harry turned it over.  _ FInd Your Truth, _ it said. Confused, Harry put it aside.

That night, the group settled in around the fire in a pile of blankets and pillows to sleep. Narcissa and Lucius gazed upon their son and his friends lovingly. Maybe it would be a little less lovingly if they had known what Harry had dragged them into. Either way, they levitated and packed up everyone’s trunks for the train ride the next day, and then went up to their room to sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kind of filler, but with important elements. I hope you guys enjoyed. Thanks so much for your patience in my absence! Also, I've started two new stories, Dumbledore's Dilemma, and Pettifog and Contrition. If you want some shorter stories, be sure to check those out!  
> I'll be back to regular updating schedules soon!
> 
> Coming up next time-
> 
> A Tail  
> A Teacher  
> A Talk
> 
> -Tez


	14. Elphaba the Golden Snidget

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi again. There are only a few more chapters left before book 2. This chapter is the real catalyst in the main conflict of this book. Thanks to FeatherMoonstone and Jade01 for the lovely comments, and thanks to everyone for 2000 hits!

Chapter 14: Elphaba the Golden Snidget

 

It had been several months since winter break. In fact, it was May, and everyone was revising for exams again. Harry, between revising sessions, was busy trying to figure out his map. His friends were doing their bests to help, but no one was really finding anything. Currently, they were revising for Defense Against the Dark Arts.

“What are the three possible reactions to a murtlap bite?” asked Theo.

“Sweating, twitching, anal flaming,” said Blaise with a straight face. Draco and Pansy burst into laughter.

“What? It’s one of the reactions!” said Blaise. “Anyways, what are the magical abilities of the Golden Snidget?”

“Communication with magical people, map interpretation, and locating small amounts of sugar,” answered Daphne. Harry snapped his head up.

“Say again?”

“Communication with magical people, map interpretation, and locating small amounts of sugar,” she repeated.

“Does anyone know where we can get a golden snidget?” asked Harry, holding up his map.

“Harry… you know that Golden Snidgets are an XXXX creature. No one is going to give one to an eleven year old,” said Pansy.

“Not unless they’re crazy,” chimed in Draco, who was taking notes on classification.

“Not unless they’re crazy…” Harry repeated.

And that was how they ended up writing a letter to one Newton Scamander.

 

_ Saturday, May 9, 1992 _

_ Dear Mr. Scamander, _

_ My name is Harry Potter. My friends and I have recently come into possession of a map that we are unable to interpret. I know that you have a collection of creatures in your possession, and I was hoping that you might have a golden snidget with you. If so, I’d highly appreciate if you could ask him or her to interpret my map. _

_ Please do not send reply by owl, as I have been told by a friend that they do not enjoy carrying letters. My house elf, Pippy, would be happy to wait for your response. Please take your time. _

_ Sincerely, _

_ Harry Potter _

 

_ The Tenth of May, Sunday _

_ Mr. Potter- _

_ I am delighted that you have thought to come to me in your search. As I am sure you are protective of your privacy, I have sent along my golden snidget, Elphaba, with Pippy. _

_ In return, I ask that you work to expose the exploitation of owls. I highly appreciate you telling me of their ploy. Of course, I do not intend for you to do this instantly, as I’m sure some would be very pushy in questioning your source. I will give my vocal support as you do expose this, though. _

_ Please return Elphaba by next weekend, as I don’t wish to keep her away from home for too long. _

_ Best wishes, _

_ Newton Scamander _

 

Harry burst into the RoR (where the group had been revising for the past few weeks) with letter in hand and a snidget on his shoulder.

“I told you!” he shouted, waving the letter about victoriously.

“Is that a snidget?” asked Theo.

“‘Ello. I’m Elphaba,” she chirped.

“Hello.”

“Hi!”

“Hullo…”

“Nice to meet you!”

“Elphaba, we were hoping that you’d be able help us figure out this map,” said Daphne, pulling out said map. She flew over to Daphne and perched on her shoulder. Daphne spread the map out on the table in front of her, and the group gathered around. Elphaba hopped down onto the table. She hopped across the map.

“There’s some ink missing, but there are some parts I can figure out. Wherever this is, it’s stuck in a perpetual winter, as indicated by the snow cave over here. Know any place like that?” she asked. Everyone shook their head.

“Hmm… I can also see a set of coordinates, but they aren’t the type that people normally use. It says ‘18, 37, 2, 44, 6’. I won’t be able to figure that out. The only other thing I can see is some strange lines that divide the map into thirteen parts,” said Elphaba.

“Tectonic plates?” asked Theo

“Maybe. Let me draw them out for you,” offered Elphaba. She took a claw and dipped it in a pot of ink, tracing the lines that she could see but the others could not. She also wrote the coordinates in a bottom corner.

“Yeah, those are tectonic plates,” said Theo. To the others he said, “My cousin married a muggle geologist.”

“Thanks, Elphaba,” said Harry. He called Pippy to bring her back home and she popped away, leaving Harry and his friends with still much less information than they wanted.

* * *

 

It was now May 23rd. Draco was beginning to lose hope on the whole “finding the location of whatever it was they were looking for” thing. He was in possession of the map right now, and he was searching through a wizarding geology book. All of a sudden, he came across a full page spread of a translucent “political” map. He lay it over Harry’s map and matched up the lines. He realised that the snow cave, as labeled, was in Hogwarts. He closed the book.

“Madam Pince?” he asked, walking up to her.

“Yes, Mr. Malfoy?”

“Do you know a spell I can use to enlarge maps?” he asked, careful to keep his tone polite. She smiled, handing him a book on uncommon spells.

“Good luck in your search,” she said.

Draco went back to his table and flipped through the spellbook until he found the spell. He cast it on both Harry’s map and the geology book, gasping when he saw where they lined up.

“No way,” he whispered, and he rushed upstairs to the RoR. He pushed the door open.

“Guys! It’s here! In here!” he shouted, startling Blaise from a nap.

“What’s where?” asked Harry.

“The cave! It’s here, in the Room of Requirement! Or, some way to get to it, at least. C’mon!” Slowly, everyone packed their things and left the room. Draco got jittery quite fast.

“Hurry upppppp!” They hurried up. 

Once everyone was outside the room, Draco paced back and forth.  _ Take me to the snow cave,  _ he thought. Eventually, a large, metal door appeared. Draco pulled it open, and they all stepped inside. Inside, there was a large stone portal. There were five openings next to the portal, and a selection of stone slabs, labeled 1-45, on a shelf nearby.

“How do you think it works?” asked Pansy. Draco shrugged. 

“We can figure it out during that long weekend in June,” suggested Harry. Everyone readily agreed.

* * *

 

The next day, Harry was with Severus in his office. They were sharing a bottle of Nettle Wine. Harry poured himself another glass of the light blue drink as he waited for Severus to stop talking about Marvolo. Honestly, Marvolo this, Marvolo that. Didn’t Severus have any hobbies? Finally, Severus stopped talking.

“Were you even listening to me?” he asked. Harry shook his head, smiling.

“Severus, I’ve been thinking,” began Harry.

“A rare occurrence,” murmured Severus. Harry coughed loudly.

“I’ve been thinking that I want to be a potions master when I get older. And I want to be  _ your _ apprentice,” he said taking a sip of wine. Severus blinked.

“You’re serious?” Harry nodded. Severus enlarged his wine glass, pulled a second bottle of nettle wine from under his desk, and poured the entire thing into the glass.

“Continue,” said Severus. Harry chuckled.

“I’ve devised a schedule of ‘detentions’ you can give me at reasonable intervals for you to give me assignments and lessons over the course of next year,” said Harry. He handed Severus a thick roll of parchment. 

“I know you probably don’t want to do this,” Harry began.

“Really.”

“And even though your  _ beloved _ Marvolo would probably make you do it anyways, I can make the deal even better.” Severus scowled at the implications.

“Oh?”

“I can get you several samples of basilisk venom,” said Harry. Severus dropped his head into his hands after taking a large gulp of the wine.

“I’m not even going to ask how,” said Severus, “but you have yourself a deal, Mister Potter.”

“Very well, Master Snape,” said Harry bowing. He stood and left.

The following Saturday, Harry and Daphne took a walk around the Black Lake, having conversations about various topics. Eventually, it turned to their friends.

“How do you even command such leadership, Harry?” asked Daphne, amazed.

“I think I get it from Marvolo. He’s an incredible leader, obviously, and there’s no way that I didn’t get any of it,” Harry answered.

“I just find it absolutely amazing that you managed to get Theo to submit to you. He almost never follows anyone,” she said. “He must really trust you.”

“I guess I’ve made an impression,” said Harry. They walked in silence for a few minutes until they reached a tree, where they sat down in the shade.

“There something happening between you and Blaise?” asked Harry, staring across the lake. The giant squid was visibly flailing around in the distance.

Daphne sighed loudly. “I mean, there isn’t, but… there could be, you know?” she explained. Harry nodded and placed a hand on her shoulder.

“Yeah…” he reassured, “I get that…”

Daphne turned to Harry and smiled knowingly. “Ah,” said said. “Draco, right?”

“W-what?” Harry faltered in a rare moment of weakness. Daphne felt blessed to have witnessed Harry being embarrassed.

“Don’t worry,” she said. “I won’t tell anyone. I promise.” Harry breathed out a sigh of relief. “But… you’ll have to tell him eventually. You know that, right?” she asked.

“Yeah,” said Harry, head bowed. “I know. I just…” 

He sighed. “Will he even be able to accept that that’s something I feel?”

Daphne pulled Harry into a hug. “He will,” she promised. “Trust me.”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Bit of a shorter chapter. Just a few chapters left! Sequel coming soon.
> 
> Coming up next time-
> 
> A Trick  
> A Twist  
> A Trip
> 
> -Tez


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